DEFENCE

Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of the retrospective recognition of pre-1975 military service for pension purposes.

Adam Ingram: Before 1975, and currently, pensions were awarded to Service personnel who completed at least 22 years' reckonable service (or 16 years' reckonable service in the case of officers). Gratuities were awarded to those who did not qualify for a pension but had completed 12 years' reckonable service (or nine years in the case of officers).
	It has been the long-standing policy of successive Governments that changes to improve benefits from public service pension schemes should normally be implemented from a current date for future service only.
	In the case of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme, in order to calculate the precise cost of awarding pension rights retrospectively, my Department would have to identify and assess the potential entitlements of all service men who left service before April 1975 without completing enough service to qualify for a pension. There are probably several hundred thousand if not more than a million former service men in this category. An accurate estimate could, therefore, be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	None the less, we can be clear that the cost of awarding pensions retrospectively would be considerable. In addition, such a retrospection could not be applied solely to former service men, and would require a change for all public service pension schemes.

Service Accommodation

Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the overall standard of Single Living Accommodation.

Lewis Moonie: The condition of Single Living Accommodation has been examined in detail to underpin decisions on the major investment programme announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 14 March 2001, Official Report, column 600W, in particular the Single Living Accommodation Modernisation prime contract which we plan to award by the end of 2002. Recent surveys indicate that roughly half of the Single Living Accommodation is sub-standard. The Ministry of Defence's objective is to improve all Single Living Accommodation to single bedrooms with en suite shower, wash hand basin and toilet facilities. To this end, an additional £1 billion worth of investment is planned over the next 10 years.

Veterans

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress he has made in publicising and demonstrating assistance offered to veterans of the armed services by central and local government.

Lewis Moonie: Since my appointment as Minister for Veterans' Affairs on 14 March significant progress has been made in publicising and demonstrating the aims of the Veterans' Initiative. The Ministry of Defence has established a Veterans' Affairs Secretariat and I have chaired two meetings of the Veterans' Forum comprising the Confederation of British Service and Ex-Service Organisations (COBSEO) executive committee members, and officials from Government Departments with an interest in veterans' affairs. I also chaired the first meeting of the Forum in Plenary session on 16 October, which was attended by 158 delegates from veterans' organisations, welfare providers and pressure groups. The Plenary programme included a presentation from the DTLR's National Housing Federation which gave veterans advice on how to get the most out of the "Supporting People" initiative currently being taken forward by local government. The Veterans' Forum has fully endorsed the Strategic Action Plan to take forward the Veterans' Initiative and I will now present the plan to my ministerial colleagues at the Veterans' Task Force on 6 November.
	A short press release was issued after each forum meeting and minutes of forum and task force meetings, including a copy of the Strategic Action Plan, have been widely circulated among the veterans' community and are available on the MOD website: http://www.mod.uk/vau

Chinook Helicopters

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list (a) by date and (b) by aircraft serial number, all incidents of uncommanded flight control movements in Chinook helicopters since 1 January 1999; and what their cause was.

Adam Ingram: Uncommanded movements are defined as an unusual movement of flying controls or rotors that are not caused by pilot inputs.
	The table lists the incidents of uncommanded flying control movements in Chinook helicopters since 1 January 1999 and their determined causes.
	
		Uncommanded flying control movements in Chinook aircraft since 1999
		
			  Date Tail number  Cause 
		
		
			 1999   
			 12 March ZA712 Faulty AFCS 
			 17 March ZA718 Faulty DASH actuator and directional gyro 
			 20 April ZD983 Directional gyro out of tolerance 
			 29 April ZH775 Faulty AFCS and directional gyro 
			 14 June ZA718 Faulty directional gyro 
			 29 July ZA718 Faulty AFCS and directional gyro 
			 29 October ZA711 Faulty directional gyro 
			 18 November ZA711 Faulty directional gyro 
			 2000   
			 6 January ZA714 Faulty AFCS 
			 6 January ZA718 Faulty AFCS 
			 11 February ZA682 Faulty vertical gyro 
			 4 April ZA682 Faulty DASH actuator gear assembly 
			 5 April ZA679 Faulty DASH actuator 
			 5 April ZA684 Faulty directional gyro connector 
			 30 May ZA710 Faulty AFCS 
			 24 July ZA679 Faulty AFCS and DASH actuator 
			 5 August ZA674 Faulty cables to AFCS 
			 9 November ZA671 Faulty vertical gyro 
			 12 November ZA671 Faulty AFCS 
			 2001   
			 17 January ZH777 Units replaced following pitch oscillations 
			 1 March ZA709 Faulty directional gyro 
			 1 May ZA674 Faulty directional gyro 
			 24 May ZA680 Faulty lower control actuators 
			 5 July ZD981 Faulty attitude indicator

Chinook Helicopters

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list each occasion on which pilots have temporarily lost control of RAF Chinook helicopters during an uncommanded flying control movement.

Adam Ingram: No such instances have occurred. Aircrew have retained full control of the aircraft whenever an uncommanded flying control movement has taken place by successfully mitigating the effects of the control movement.

Defence Spending

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is 
	(1)  of the level of UK defence spending as a share of UK gross domestic product for each year from 1973–74 to 2002–03; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  UK defence spending as a share of gross domestic product for each of the last 25 years; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 29 October 2001
	Following the introduction of resource accounting and budgeting (RAB) in the Ministry of Defence on 1 April 2001, future financial planning, management and reporting is conducted on the new resource basis.
	
		UK defence spending as a share of the UK GDP from 1973–74 to 2000–01 
		
			 Financial year Percentage GDP 
		
		
			 1973–74 4.7 
			 1974–75 4.7 
			 1975–76 4.8 
			 1976–77 4.7 
			 1977–78 4.5 
			 1978–79 4.4 
			 1979–80 4.5 
			 1980–81 4.8 
			 1981–82 4.9 
			 1982–83 5.2 
			 1983–84 5.1 
			 1984–85 5.3 
			 1985–86 5.0 
			 1986–87 4.7 
			 1987–88 4.4 
			 1988–89 4.0 
			 1989–90 4.0 
			 1990–91 3.9 
			 1991–92 4.1 
			 1992–93 3.7 
			 1993–94 3.5 
			 1994–95 3.3 
			 1995–96 3.0 
			 1996–97 2.9 
			 1997–98 2.6 
			 1998–99 2.6 
			 1999–2000 2.5 
			 2000–01 2.5 
		
	
	Using defence based figures announced in the 2000 spending review, defence budget expenditure is expected to represent the following share of GDP for 2001–02 and 2002–03.
	
		
			 Financial year Percentage GDP 
		
		
			 2001–02 2.4 
			 2002–03 2.3

Sovereign Bases

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the status of Sovereign Bases under UK law.

Adam Ingram: The legal status of the UK Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus is as set out in the Cyprus Act 1960 and the 1960 Treaty of Establishment. Under the Act, the Sovereign Base Areas were retained as UK sovereign territory when the Republic of Cyprus achieved independence.

Frigates and Destroyers

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the predicted total number of frigates and destroyers will be in the Royal Navy after the final type 45 destroyer comes into service.

Adam Ingram: On current plans and based on the outcome of the Strategic Defence Review, the number of frigates and destroyers in service after the final type 45 destroyer comes into service will be 32.

NATO

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made by his Department in implementing each of the decisions of the NATO Defence Capabilities Initiative.

Geoff Hoon: I am pleased by the progress achieved by NATO in improving military capabilities in line with the 59 Decisions of the Defence Capabilities Initiative (DCI), although I acknowledge that much still remains to be done.
	A number of DCI Decisions propose action for the Alliance as a whole, rather than for individual nations. Often these address standards and procedures rather than specific capabilities. The UK is working with Allies and the NATO International Staffs to achieve success in these areas.
	The UK's own DCI performance has been relatively strong. It compares well with the Alliance average and reflects capability enhancements such as the introduction of the C17 strategic transport aircraft, the acquisition of a greater sealift capability and development and procurement of new precision guided munitions.

Helicopter Accident (Sierra Leone)

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the recent fatal helicopter accident in Kenema, Sierra Leone.

Adam Ingram: At approximately 7.15 am local time on Friday 19 October, a HIND helicopter belonging to the Sierra Leone armed forces crashed about fives miles south west of Kenema, Sierra Leone. Regrettably, a British Army Officer, Major Vanessa Lang, sustained head injuries in the crash, and subsequently died of her injuries in hospital in Kenema. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I extend our deep condolences to Major Lang's family.
	Major Lang was working from the British Military Headquarters in Freetown as a media adviser to the Sierra Leone armed forces. She was travelling in the helicopter to provide advice to the Sierra Leone Army on their information strategy in relation to a planned border security operation. The other five occupants of the helicopter included a British Non-Commissioned Officer and an Australian Major: none received serious injuries in the accident. British accident investigators are assisting the Government of Sierra Leone in the investigation into the precise cause of the accident.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Human Rights Commission

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many additional appointments are to be made to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission; and on what date these appointments will be made.

Des Browne: I intend to announce the outcome of the recent competition for appointment to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission in the near future.

Semi-automatic Weapons

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the criteria are for the granting of a licence for a semi-automatic weapon in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: Firearms licensing in Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Chief Constable under the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 and is generally more restrictive than in Great Britain. For example, all firearms, including shotguns and air guns, require a firearm certificate. The Chief Constable shall not permit a person to hold a firearm certificate unless he is satisfied of certain statutory criteria—that a person is not prohibited by law from possessing a firearm and that the requirements in respect of fitness, good reason and public safety have been met.
	The Chief Constable has advised us that the term "semi-automatic weapon" is not specifically defined in the legislation and can therefore be open to wide interpretation, eg shotguns (including pump action), .22 rifles and handguns (not revolvers), target weapons and prohibited weapons. To provide an answer to this question would require an in-depth search of police records and incur disproportionate cost.

Semi-automatic Weapons

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  how many applications have been registered for semi-automatic weapons in the last 12 months in Northern Ireland;
	(2)  how many licences for semi-automatic weapons were granted in the last 12 months in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: The Chief Constable has advised us that the term "semi-automatic weapon" is not specifically defined in the legislation and can therefore be open to wide interpretation, eg shotguns (including pump action), .22 rifles and handguns (not revolvers), target weapons and prohibited weapons. To provide an answer to this question would require an in-depth search of police records and incur disproportionate cost.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

Railway Network

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much public money has been invested in the railway network in each of the last 10 years.

David Jamieson: The information requested is contained in the latest (September 2001) edition of the Strategic Rail Authority bulletin "National Rail Trends".

Thameslink

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if the timetable of the Thameslink investment programme will be affected by Railtrack going into administration.

John Spellar: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given by the Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Devonport (Mr. Jamieson) on 24 October 2001, Official Report, column 222W.

Ministerial Visit (Brazil)

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what was (a) the itinerary for and (b) the cost of the Minister for Housing's visit to Brazil of 4 to 8 November 2000.

Nick Raynsford: I led a successful trade mission to Brazil and Chile from 5–10 November. We visited Rio de Janeiro, Sa~o Paulo and Santiago. Accompanying me were around a dozen representatives from the British construction industry. The purpose of the mission was to promote British construction exports.
	In Rio de Janeiro we met with the Municipal Secretary for Housing, representatives of Town Hall's Favela Bairro Programme, representatives of the UK and Brazilian Oil and Gas companies, the President of SINICON (Association for Heavy Construction), the British Chamber of Commerce, the State Secretary for Sanitation and Water Resource, representatives from CEDAE (local water company), and ABES (sanitary engineers), a group of top architects from Rio, and local British and Brazilian businessmen. I also visited the Copa D'Or Hospital where I met with the President of D'Or Group.
	In Sa~o Paulo we met with SABESP (Water Company) the Brazilian Trade Association for the Construction Industry, PINI Publishers, the Brazilian British Centre, ABRAS (retail association), the State Secretary for Transport and the President of Cia do Metropolitano de Sa~o Paulo Metro. We also made a site visit to a major road construction scheme with Rodanel and contributed to a PFI Seminar for representatives of the construction and finance sector in Brazil.
	The total cost to the public funds of the mission to Brazil was approximately £9,800. This covered the cost of my travel and accommodation, local transportation, incidental expenses, interpreters' fees and that of my Private Secretary who accompanied me.

Railtrack

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what research his Department has conducted into the impact a not-for-profit Railtrack will have on rail safety, reliability, ability to raise funds for investment purposes, and its own public acceptability.

David Jamieson: Our proposed company limited by guarantee (CLG) would be able to make an operating surplus, which would be re-invested in establishing reserves and in developing the network. Our proposals are now being developed and we will work to ensure that the CLG would be able to raise funds for investment and have a positive impact on rail safety and reliability.

Railtrack

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he made of the financial position of Railtrack before deciding to apply for an administration order.

John Spellar: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today by the Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Devonport (Mr. Jamieson) to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban), Official Report, column 572W, and to his answer of 23 October 2001, Official Report, column 195W.

Railtrack

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what meetings he held with officials from the IPPR to discuss their model for a not-for-profit trust prior to his decision to take Railtrack into administration.

John Spellar: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Devonport (Mr. Jamieson) to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 18 October 2001, Official Report, column 1319W.

Railtrack

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if the Safety and Standards Directorate of Railtrack will be transferred to the new railway industry safety body.

John Spellar: On 1 January this year the industry-wide functions of Railtrack's Safety and Standards Directorate were incorporated into a separate, non-profit making company, within the Railtrack Group—Railway Safety. Lord Cullen has recommended that most of the functions carried out by Railway Safety should be undertaken by the new Rail Industry Safety Body.
	We shall publish in this parliamentary Session our plans to take forward Lord Cullen's recommendation to establish a fully independent industry safety body.

Railtrack

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he has received confirmation from the European Commission that his plans for Railtrack are compatible with European law.

John Spellar: The Secretary of State will ensure that any proposals for restructuring the railway industry are compatible with European law.

Railtrack

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if Railtrack's administrators will be permitted to dispose of non-operational assets and return the proceeds of any such disposals to Railtrack's shareholders.

John Spellar: The administrator is required to manage the transfer, as a going concern, of as much of Railtrack plc's undertaking as it is necessary to transfer in order to ensure that the relevant activities may be properly carried on. The administrator's proposed transfer scheme must then be passed to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for consideration and approval. It is then for the administrator to determine whether any residual value can be distributed, and on what basis.

Railtrack

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what information was given by his officials to Railtrack executives in their meeting on 3 October about his intentions to take Railtrack into administration.

John Spellar: None. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State took the decision to refuse Railtrack's proposal for additional funding on 5 October.

Railtrack

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will place in the Library (a) a copy of written statements from Railtrack substantiating its requests for extra subsidy and (b) an analysis of the decisions of the Regulator on such funds.

John Spellar: Documents provided to my Department by Railtrack relating to the company's requests for extra funding remain commercially confidential. These documents have not been analysed by the Rail Regulator.

Railtrack

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when and how he informed the Strategic Rail Authority of his decision (a) to put Railtrack into railway administration and (b) to replace it with a Government-owned non profit-making company.

John Spellar: My officials informed the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) on 6 October.

Railtrack

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what representations he has received from City firms about future private investment in the national railway network since 11 September.

John Spellar: My officials and my Department's advisers have had a number of contacts with financial institutions since Railtrack plc was placed into administration.

Railtrack

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will provide Railtrack plc with sufficient funds to complete the modernisation of train protection systems.

John Spellar: I refer the hon. Member to the Deputy Prime Minister's statements to the House on 20 July 2000, Official Report, column 549, and 24 October 2000, Official Report, column 136.

Railtrack

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much private money was invested in equity share issues by Railtrack; what is the cumulative value of dividends paid out on that equity; and if he will estimate the cumulative interest payable on the same amount of gilt edged stock.

John Spellar: The flotation of Railtrack Group Plc on 20 May 1996 raised gross proceeds of £1.93 billion from equity investors.
	Since 20 May 1996, Railtrack Group Plc have paid out £709 million in cash, or equivalent, dividends.
	The amount of interest payable on gilt edged stock is dependent on the coupon and maturity of the stock that is bought.

Railtrack

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent meetings he has had with the Strategic Rail Authority to discuss recent developments affecting Railtrack.

David Jamieson: My officials are in regular contact with the Strategic Rail Authority.

Railtrack

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions under the new arrangements proposed for Railtrack and the railway sector, to what extent (a) train operating companies and (b) Railtrack would have responsibility for safety.

David Jamieson: The successor company to Railtrack plc would need to meet the same safety requirements as its predecessor. Train operating companies' safety responsibility would not be affected.

Railtrack

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the implications for the planned improvements to the east coast main line of the decision to put Railtrack into administration.

David Jamieson: The decision to put Railtrack into administration will have no immediate implications for the planned improvements to the east coast main line (ECML). The development studies for the ECML upgrade are being jointly carried out and funded by the Strategic Rail Authority and Railtrack. This will continue unchanged until the end of this financial year. The review of the upgrade objectives is a continuous process as part of the project's development. Decisions on planned improvements will be subject to the outcome of these reviews regardless of whether or not Railtrack is in administration.

Railtrack

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to compensate Railtrack employees holding shares in Railtrack plc.

David Jamieson: holding answer 24 October 2001
	The Government will do their utmost to ensure shareholders get fair value for money but they will not use additional taxpayers' money to create value.
	As my right hon. Friend made clear in his statement on 15 October, no further taxpayers' money will be put into Railtrack to compensate shareholders.

Railtrack

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will place in the Library the calculation supporting the statement he made on 15 October that Railtrack would be in deficit by £700 million by 8 December this year and £1.7 billion by the end of March next year.

David Jamieson: holding answer 25 October 2001
	The figures are those stated in the report at Exhibit "DR3" in the bundle of High Court papers, copies of which have already been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Railtrack

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his estimate is of the cash needs of Railtrack plc (a) between now and its next year-end and (b) for the following year; and how much of this will be supplied by the Treasury.

John Spellar: holding answer 23 October 2001
	The Government have committed to provide the Railway Administrators with the financial support necessary to ensure that the rail network can remain fully operational throughout the administration of Railtrack Plc. The Administrators, who are currently undertaking a thorough review of Railtrack's business and cost base, will determine the overall case needs of Railtrack Plc during this period.
	In respect of the funding arrangements, I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Scarborough and Whitby (Lawrie Quinn) on 17 October 2001, Official Report, column 1230W.

Services for Deaf People

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if local authorities are obliged to adhere to a minimum standard of service provision with regard to providing interpretation services for deaf residents.

Alan Whitehead: Part three of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 applies to services to the public provided by local authorities. Where access to a service is impossible or unreasonably difficult for a disabled person, a local authority will be under a duty to make a reasonable adjustment to the way the service is provided. This might involve providing British Sign Language interpretation for a deaf person.
	We would expect local authorities to consult deaf people as necessary over the provision of all services as part of best value reviews. Statutory guidance emphasises the need to consult all groups: these will include those who are deaf and their representative bodies.

Services for Deaf People

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to implement a London-wide translation service for deaf residents.

Alan Whitehead: There are no current plans to implement a London-wide translation service for deaf residents. The provision of services is a matter for the London boroughs in the light of local needs. We are actively encouraging authorities jointly to review services under best value, and there is nothing to prevent a review being carried out London-wide, perhaps co-ordinated through the GLA or the LGA. However, this is ultimately a matter for the boroughs.

Ladbroke Grove Rail Inquiry

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much funding is necessary to provide the signalling and safety equipment suggested by the Cullen Inquiry into the Ladbroke Grove accident; and over what period he expects this funding to be delivered.

John Spellar: I refer the hon. Member to the Deputy Prime Minister's statements to the House on 20 July 2000, Official Report, column 549 and 24 October 2000, Official Report, column 136.

Rail Investment

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much investment has been made in the (a) east coast main line and (b) west coast main line in each of the last 15 years.

David Jamieson: Figures for infrastructure expenditure on the east coast main line and west coast main line are only readily available since 1998, when Railtrack first published its Network Management Statement (NMS).
	1998–99
	East coast main line—£75 million
	West coast main line—£250 million
	1999–2000
	East coast main line—£95 million
	West coast main line—£461 million
	2000–01
	East coast main line—£181 million
	West coast main line—£823 million.
	Until publication of the NMS, Railtrack, and previously British Rail, recorded expenditure by zone, or sector, not line of route.

Mandatory Services

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will introduce greater freedom for local councils to charge for mandatory services.

Alan Whitehead: In the Green Paper "Modernising Local Government Finance" (September 2000) we said that in addition to extending local authorities' power to charge for services they provide at their discretion, we would, in the longer term, review the policy on charges for mandatory services.

Housing Stock (Borrowing)

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what proposals he has to allow local authorities to borrow against the value of their housing stock; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Whitehead: We announced on 21 March 2001, Official Report, column 250W, our intention to abolish the present system of local authority capital controls. This will be replaced by a system under which local authorities would be free to borrow without obtaining Government approval; the new arrangements will apply to borrowing for housing expenditure. Legislation will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allows.
	The amount of borrowing that an authority can undertake will depend on the resources available to service debt and be subject to a Prudential Code which is currently being developed. The impact of the new freedom will, therefore, depend on what revenue resources an authority can make available for this purpose while meeting other liabilities.
	There is no proposal to remove the present prohibition on the mortgaging of local authority capital assets. Loans by authorities are secured on all the revenues of the authority and that will remain the position.

Public Interest Trusts

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what meetings were held by officials of his Department to discuss (a) Project Ariel and (b) not-for-profit public interest trusts; and when these were held.

David Jamieson: holding answer 25 October 2001
	Under paragraph 2 of Part 11 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, it is not the practice to disclose details of internal communications.

Vehicles (Pedestrian Protection Standards)

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will publish a chronology of (a) research undertaken by and (b) proposals for pedestrian protection standards for cars for the Transport Research Laboratory.

David Jamieson: A major programme of research into pedestrian protection was carried out by TRL between 1992 and 1999 under project S220C/VF. This project covered TRL's input into the work of EEVC Committees WG10 and WG17 including the development of test tools, an early cost-benefit analysis, and some work on the additional problems caused by pull bars. The completion of this work coincided with the presentation of the final report of WG17 to the European Commission, covering recommendations for test tools and procedures for assessing the pedestrian protection offered by cars.
	A copy of the final report of this work, "Pedestrian protection test procedures and design: Final report (April 1992 to March 1999)—TRL report 480", which gives full chronological details is being placed in the Library.
	Since 1999 further work by TRL in the area of pedestrian protection has concentrated on further refinement of the test tools, some analysis of the Honda Civic and a preliminary comparative benefit analysis of phase 1 of the ACEA proposals. This work will be incorporated in the final project report in late 2002. The following interim reports are being placed in the Library:
	"Assessment of the damped, production version of the TRL pedestrian legform impactor (unpublished project report PR/SE/030/00)"
	"Assessment of TNO's new child and adult headform impactors for EEVC (WG17) (unpublished project report PR/SE/097/00)"
	"Summary of progress towards pedestrian protection test procedures—April 1999 to March 2001 (unpublished project report PR/SE/143/00)"
	"Development of a biofidelic pedestrian and vehicle model for reviewing the EECV upper legform test energies (unpublished project report PR/SE/309/01)".
	TRL have not made any proposals for pedestrian protection standards for cars.

Vehicles (Pedestrian Protection Standards)

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what parliamentary procedure he will adopt for (a) the proposed mandatory test standards for vehicles protection for pedestrians and (b) the voluntary proposals; and what procedure will be adopted by the European Parliament.

David Jamieson: There is no formal proposal from the European Commission for the introduction of mandatory pedestrian protection test standards for vehicles. The proposal for a negotiated agreement with manufacturers is subject to full parliamentary scrutiny, and an Explanatory Memorandum was submitted on 10 October. The proposal is also currently being considered by the European Parliament.

Vehicles (Pedestrian Protection Standards)

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when COREPER will discuss pedestrian protection standards for vehicles; what the UK objectives are at COREPER on this issue; when Ministers will next meet in the European Council to discuss it; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: COREPER plan to discuss pedestrian protection on either 7 or 9 November. Our objective at COREPER is to bring about improvements in pedestrian protection in Europe. The issue will next be discussed by Ministers at the Internal Market, Consumer Affairs and Tourism Council on 26 November.

Vehicles (Pedestrian Protection Standards)

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make it his policy to adopt the highest proposed standard for pedestrian protection standards for vehicles.

David Jamieson: Our policy is to bring about the introduction of effective European measures to make car fronts safer for the benefit of pedestrians. In practical terms this means finding a reasonable balance between the technical standards proposed in the initial stages and ensuring early implementation.

Road Schemes

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions which major road schemes each highway authority has included in its full local transport plan and first annual progress report where funding is not being sought in the Local Transport Settlement 2001.

David Jamieson: Not all local authorities have included in their full local transport plans or first annual progress reports information on those road schemes for which they are considering making a bid for LTP funding in future years. In many cases they have yet to make decisions on whether to make such a bid. We know of a number of schemes where the authority has forewarned us that they may be making a bid and in some cases has provided us with some information. These include:
	A171 Burniston/Cloughton Bypass
	A19 Shipton/Beningbrough Bypass
	A24 Ashington to Southwater Route Safety Strategy
	A228 Leybourne and West Malling Bypass
	A228 Ropers Lane (Phase 2)
	A260 Hawkinge Bypass
	A38/A390 Link Dobwalls
	A391 Corridor
	A418 improvements including a Rowsham Bypass
	A418 Wing Bypass
	A605 Stanground Bypass
	A684 Leeming/Aiskew/Bedale Bypass
	Botley Bypass
	Chickenhall Lane Link Road
	East Kent Access (Phases 2 and 3)
	Newhaven Port Access Road
	North-West Relief Road, Shrewsbury
	Tunstall Northern Bypass.
	There are other schemes which have been bid for in the past but which were not accepted for funding. Where such schemes were not rejected outright authorities are free to bid for these schemes again. These include:
	A57 Cadishead Way
	Heysham—M6 Link Road
	Wylye Valley Relief Road.
	In other cases, authorities are seeking decisions in December 2001, although the planned spend profile of the schemes concerned means that no funding is sought for the 2002–03 financial year.

Road Schemes

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when (a) English Nature, (b) the Countryside Agency and (c) English Heritage (i) were and (ii) will be consulted on local road schemes being considered for funding in the Local Transport Settlement 2001.

David Jamieson: Local authorities bidding for road schemes under the Local Transport Plan system are required to consult the four statutory bodies—English Nature, English Heritage, the Countryside Agency and the Environment Agency—before submitting their bids. In addition, once the bid documents were received by my Department in August the Appraisal Summary Tables for all road schemes were sent to the four bodies to seek their further views on the schemes. The bodies have been kept informed of alterations to the tables.

Road Schemes

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  if he is presented with appraisal summary tables for each of the options before deciding whether to approve a major road scheme;
	(2)  if his Department requires appraisal summary tables to be submitted for more than one option when a local authority seeks funding for a major road scheme.

David Jamieson: Before major local road schemes can be accepted for funding, local authorities need to demonstrate that they have considered alternative approaches. Submission of appraisal summary tables for each alternative is not required but decisions will only be taken once we are satisfied that these have been subject to proper consideration. Decisions are based on all of the evidence available to the Department.

Road Schemes

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the major new road schemes submitted by local authorities for funding (a) by 31 July and (b) after 31 July.

David Jamieson: The following major new road schemes were submitted for funding by (a) 31 July:
	A1 South East Northumberland Link Road
	A1198 Papworth Everard Bypass
	A182 East Durham Link Road
	A228 Main Road to Ropers Lane (Phase 1)
	A24 Horsham-Capel Improvement
	A34 Alderley Edge Bypass
	A350 Westbury Bypass Town Centre Scheme
	A36 Codford-Heytesbury Improvement
	A52 Grantham East-West Bypass
	A57(T) M1 Junction 31-Todwick Crossroads
	A6096 Ilkeston Awsworth Link
	A612 Gedling ITP Scheme
	A628 Cudworth and West Green Bypass
	Aston Northern Bypass (Phase 2)
	Bletchley Link
	Central Route, Sunderland
	Central Somerset Access Package
	East Middlesbrough Corridor
	Junction 11 M4 Improvement Proposals
	Kiln Lane Link, Surrey
	Markham Employment Growth Zone
	Northern Gateway Stage 2, Newcastle
	Oakham Bypass
	Poole Bridge Regeneration Initiative
	Roscommon Way Extension, Essex
	Selly Oak Relief Road and (b) after 31 July
	Luton East Corridor.
	Information on the scheme listed in (b) was submitted after 31 July with the full agreement of the Department.
	In some cases revised information on the schemes listed in (a) was sought from authorities after 31 July.

Road Schemes

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if the New Approach to Appraisal applies to (a) national and (b) local major road schemes which are financed by private capital.

David Jamieson: The New Approach to Appraisal (NATA) applies to all trunk and local major road schemes that have some element of public funding. For developer- funded trunk road highway works, the principles of NATA apply, though the form of application may vary. For developer-funded local road schemes, local highway authorities have scope to decide on the appropriate approach and may apply NATA.

Chiltern Line Franchise

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he expects to reach a final decision on the renewal of the Chiltern line franchise; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Strategic Rail Authority is, I understand, close to concluding negotiations and will then seek the Secretary of State's consent to their entering into a new agreement.

Travel Concessions

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  if he will include travel concessions on Isle of Wight ferries in forthcoming legislation;
	(2)  what further provision he proposes to make for travel concessions for elderly people in forthcoming legislation.

Sally Keeble: I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 10 July 2001, Official Report, column 339W.

Pensioner Journeys

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what information he has collated on the annual number of pensioner journeys (a) by train, (b) by coach, (c) by underground, (d) bus and (e) as foot passengers on ferries.

Sally Keeble: It is estimated that there were 10.5 million people of pension age (65 and over for men and 60 and over for women) in 2000.
	The number of annual journeys made by pensioners, averaged over the years 1998 to 2000, were (a) 46 million by train, (b) 790 million by bus, (c) 26 million by coach, and (d) 30 million by London Underground. No data are available on journeys by ferry.

10-Year Plan for Transport

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what provision has been made for local road maintenance in the 10-Year Plan for Transport.

David Jamieson: The Government are providing £30 billion for local road maintenance over the next 10 years, not £10 billion as I stated in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for The Wrekin (Peter Bradley) on 23 October 2001 Official Report, column 136.

Housebuilding (Hertfordshire)

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what representations he has received from councillors concerning housebuilding targets for Hertfordshire.

Sally Keeble: pursuant to the reply, 23 October 2001, c. 132
	My right hon. Friend has received no representations from individual councillors since comments were invited in December 2000 (and not November 2000 as originally stated) on the proposed changes to housing distribution, although local authorities made representations.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is the target, in tonnes, of the delivery of food to Afghanistan; by what means the food is being delivered; and what obstacles have to be overcome to increase the supply of food to Afghanistan.

Hilary Benn: The World Food Programme's monthly target for food delivery into Afghanistan is 52,000 metric tonnes. WFP is trucking food to Afghanistan by land routes from neighbouring countries. It continues to make progress on increasing the supply of food to Afghanistan, but obstacles do remain.
	In addition to the physical challenges of distributing food to distant villages on poor roads, obstacles include: a lack of hauliers willing to undertake the work; local NGO staff unable to show up for work to oversee secondary distribution; limited communication with local staff; and the fact that case load lists are becoming outdated due to further population displacement. The fear of harassment and looting of supplies by some elements of the Taliban is further compounding an already difficult situation.
	We are doing all we can to support WFP in overcoming these obstacles, so that food delivery can continue to increase now and over the winter. WFP is looking into all options for delivering food, including opening up new land routes from the north, as well as air operations, to support the people of Afghanistan in the coming weeks and months. We have already allocated £3 million to WFP for its response to the Afghan crisis.

Afghanistan

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the dietary content is of the foodstuff being delivered to Afghanistan; and who assesses it.

Hilary Benn: The food being dispatched to Afghanistan by the World Food Programme (WFP) to feed vulnerable people is primarily made up of wheat and wheat flour. This is being supplemented in some areas by other foodstuffs provided by local and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs), such as pulses, oils, and fresh foods where available. Individual agencies are responsible for assessing the dietary content of the food that they dispatch. Availability of food stocks and logistical constraints play a large part in determining what they are able to deliver.

Afghanistan

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on humanitarian relief to Afghanistan and Afghan refugees in Pakistan and the surrounding regions.

Hilary Benn: I refer the hon. Members to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development to the House on 24 October 2001, Official Report column 283.

North Korea

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contribution her Department made to the World Food Programme and other agencies for famine relief and food distribution in North Korea in the last financial year.

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development did not make any contribution to the World Food Programme (WFP) for North Korea in the last financial year. However we did provide a total of £500,000 towards famine relief and related activities in North Korea. This included £200,000 through World Vision for restoring the food production capacity of six co-operative farms under the United Nations Development Programme's Agricultural Recovery and Environmental Protection Programme. We also allocated £300,000 directly to UNDP in support of two parts of AREP.

North Korea

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures are taken by the World Food Programme and other multilateral agencies that distribute famine relief in North Korea to ensure that the food is consumed by those for whom it is intended.

Hilary Benn: The World Food Programme (WFP) is the only multilateral agency involved in the distribution of food aid in North Korea, apart from a small input through UNICEF. WFP's food aid programme is targeted at vulnerable groups including children under five, primary and secondary school children, orphans and children in other health institutions, pregnant women and the elderly. WFP work only in provinces to which they have access (currently 167 out of a total of 211). This is essential for carrying out assessments of need, and to undertake monitoring. WFP run an intensive programme of monitoring visits to beneficiaries.

North Korea

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps are taken to monitor the distribution of food for famine relief by the agencies responsible in North Korea.

Hilary Benn: The World Food Programme (WFP) is the lead UN Agency for food relief distribution within North Korea. WFP works with the Food Aid Liaison Unit within the Government's Public Distribution System which co-ordinates the work of non-governmental organisations involved in the sector. This includes the monitoring of food aid through these agencies. WFP monitors food both on its arrival in North Korea and at distribution points. The programme averages 300 monitoring visits per month.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Terrorist Attacks

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the economic impact on (a) the UK aerospace industry and (b) UK airlines of the events of 11 September.

Brian Wilson: Officials in the Department of Trade and Industry are in close contact with the UK industry and are continuing to evaluate and monitor developments in the aviation industry in co-operation with the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions. When the economic impacts have been fully assessed, we will be in a position to consider the most appropriate response.

Aerospace Industry

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what assessment the Government have made of the impact of the events of 11 September on the aerospace industry;
	(2)  what action the Government are taking to protect jobs in the aerospace industry.

Brian Wilson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Pendle, (Mr. Prentice), question number 9389.

Fireworks

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received from (a) the firework industry and (b) local authorities regarding fireworks being stored in unlicensed premises and sold illegally door to door.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 24 October 2001
	The Department has received representations from the British Pyrotechnists Association regarding fireworks being stored in unlicensed premises, but no representations from local authorities. No representations have been received regarding door to door sales.

Regulations (Consultations)

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which regulations issued by her Department since 27 November 2000 have been subject to a consultation period of less than 12 weeks.

Patricia Hewitt: The Code of Practice on Consultations announced by the Prime Minister on 27 November 2000 applies to all consultations launched after 1 January 2001.
	Two regulations introduced since 27 November 2000 were subject to a consultation period of less than 12 weeks launched since 1 January 2001.
	In the case of 'The Working Time (Amendment) Regulations 2001' there was a short one-month consultation, running from 28 June to 27 July 2001. The 12-week period was reduced on the grounds of the urgent need to amend a UK law, following a judgment by the European Court of Justice that the annual leave qualifying period contained within the original regulations was contrary to the Working Time Directive.
	In the case of 'The Electricity (Class Exemptions from the Requirement for a Licence) Order 2001', there was a one-month consultation period, which reflected the original intention of having the order in force by June 2001. Three previous consultations on the individual elements of this measure (dealing with electricity generation, distribution and supply) had taken place in November 1999, March 2000 and July 2000.
	Consultation lasting fewer than 12 weeks was undertaken prior to the introduction of the Consultation Code in respect of the following regulations, which were then introduced after 27 November 2000:
	The Unsolicited Goods and Services Act 1971 (Electronic Communications) Order 2001;
	The Offshore Combustion Installations (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Regulations 2001;
	The Patents (Amendment) Rules 2001: Implementation of Articles 13 and 14 of Directive 98/44/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions;
	The Sex Discrimination (Indirect Discrimination and Burden of Proof) Regulations 2001;
	The Batteries and Accumulators (Containing Dangerous Substances) (Amendment) Regulations 2000;
	The Competition Act 1998 (Public Transport Ticketing Schemes Block Exemption) Order 2001.
	A number of orders introduced since 27 November 2000 have licensed companies to provide public telecommunications services. In these cases a statutory consultation period of not less than 28 days was carried out in line with the requirements of the Telecommunications Act 1984 and the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1998.

Enterprise Insight Campaign

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will outline the steps the Enterprise Insight Campaign will take to promote enterprise.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 29 October 2001
	The Government strongly support Enterprise Insight, a 10-year private sector-led national campaign for enterprise. The campaign is led jointly by the British Chambers of Commerce, Confederation of British Industry and Institute of Directors in partnership with enterprise programme providers including Young Enterprise, Shell LiveWIRE and the Prince's Trust. Its aim is to promote enterprise by fostering an entrepreneurial spirit across the UK through four key initiatives: Enterprising Education, Enterprising Communities, Enterprising Media and Enterprising Business.
	The first step started with the launch of the Enterprising Education campaign in July 2001. Since its launch, 246 businesses have registered their interest in promoting enterprise within schools. A further 750 are expected to do so by 2002. The aim over the next two years is to get 40,000 more young people engaged in enterprise learning in schools and 5,000 new business people to support its delivery. This will be achieved through a number of activities including roadshows and the development of a website enabling businesses to register their interest online. In addition, the Entrepreneurs in Residence scheme, which matches businesses to local enterprise projects, is under way and the first five matches have already been made.
	Enterprise Insight also aims to promote enterprise positively across society and, in particular, plans to work with the media, using case studies and role models, to help spread knowledge about entrepreneurship and business.

Small Business Service

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the priorities are for the Small Business Service in the coming year.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 29 October 2001
	The Small Business Service's strategic objectives for 2001–04 are set out in its strategy for 2001–04. They are to:
	Be a strong voice for small business at the heart of government, ensuring that government is aware of the needs of Business;
	Strive for a regulatory framework which minimises the burdens of business;
	Develop and maintain a world class business support service to enhance competitiveness and profitability of small businesses;
	Champion entrepreneurship across society particularly in under-represented and disadvantaged groups.
	Priorities for 2002–03 are currently being developed and will be published in the SBS Business Plan next year. SBS's operational targets for 2002–03 will be announced in the House.
	The SBS Strategy and the SBS Business Plan for 2001–02 are available on www.sbs.gov.uk.

Small Business Service

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much funding has been made available to companies by the Small Business Service.

Nigel Griffiths: From April 2000, when it was set up, until September this year the Small Business Service programme expenditure amounted to £365 million. Of this, expenditure under the Phoenix Fund, the Enterprise Fund and the Smart scheme, whereby grants may be made directly to small businesses, amounted to £96 million.

Business Support

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how the (a) high technology venture capital fund and (b) incubator workspace loan fund will assist business.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 29 October 2001
	The information is as follows:
	(a) The £126 million UK High Technology Fund, managed by Westport Private Equity, has been established to increase the amount of finance available for investment in technology based businesses. The fund was established on a 'Fund of Funds' basis, and invests in those venture capital funds that are specialist in investing in early-stage, technology-focused companies. Investments in sectors and businesses being supported by the fund include software, pharmaceuticals, communications, internet technologies and biosciences.
	(b) Loans from the SBS Business Incubation Fund are available to meet shortfalls in finance for incubation projects. Increasing the availability of incubation and its supportive nurturing environment will help improve the chances of survival and growth of business start-ups and early stage SMEs.

Age Discrimination

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to introduce legislation to combat age discrimination; if she will outlaw mandatory retirement ages; and what powers the authorities will be granted to enforce such legislation.

Alan Johnson: We shall introduce legislation to combat age discrimination in employment and training by the 2006 deadline set out in the EC's Employment Directive. That will give us the necessary time to resolve the complexities surrounding this issue, and to decide the right approach to retirement ages in the light of extensive consultation with employers, individuals, and expert groups on age good practice. We shall be issuing proposals for a first round of public consultation within the next three months. This will cover issues which are common to discrimination on grounds of age, sexual orientation, religion, disability and race, including enforcement.

Climate Change Levy

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the impact of the climate change levy on British industry.

Brian Wilson: The climate change levy only became operational in April this year and the first payments are still being received by Customs and Excise. It is too early to assess its impact, but the levy is operating in the planned revenue neutral manner.
	The impact on any specific sector will depend on a number of factors including;
	The future energy consumption of firms in the sector and the use they make of levy funded energy efficiency support.
	Employment levels in those sectors and the benefits received from the levy funded reduction of national insurance contributions.
	The number of energy intensive firms in that sector that are eligible to receive a discount on the main rates of the levy by signing up to an energy efficiency agreement.
	What use firms in that sector make of electricity generated from levy exempt 'new' renewable sources of energy and combined heat and power.

Climate Change Levy

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received from industry about the effects of the climate change levy.

Brian Wilson: The Department has received many representations from businesses about the climate change levy, raising concerns about its impact on businesses' costs and competitiveness and arguing for amendments to its design. The levy has been introduced in line with the Government's Statement of Intent on environmental taxation to contribute towards the UK's commitments to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, while protecting business competitiveness. HM Treasury has made it clear that the levy will be kept under review, as with any other new tax measure. The Government are keeping in touch with business on the levy to monitor initial experience with its operation.

Climate Change Levy

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received about the climate change levy from the engineering sector.

Brian Wilson: The Department has received representations from the Engineering Employers Federation and others in the sector about the climate change levy, raising concerns about its impact on businesses' costs and competitiveness and arguing for amendments to its design. The levy has been introduced in line with the Government's Statement of Intent on environmental taxation to contribute towards the UK's commitments to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, while protecting business competitiveness. HM Treasury has made it clear that the levy will be kept under review, as with any other new tax measure. The Government are keeping in touch with business on the levy to monitor initial experience with its operation.

Renewable Energy

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what representations she has received from the Association of Electricity Producers concerning energy from waste in the renewables obligation;
	(2)  what representations she has received from the Renewable Power Association on waste in the renewables obligation.

Brian Wilson: We published our Statutory Consultation on the renewables obligation in August this year. The consultation period has just ended and we are now analysing the responses received. Over 150 responses were received, including one from each of the Association of Electricity Producers and the Renewable Power Association.
	Both responses can be viewed on our website at www.dti.gov.uk/renewable/consultationresponses.htm (see responses 150 and 57 respectively).

Renewable Energy

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she expects gasification and pyrolysis plants to be ready to operate commercially using mixed waste as a fuel.

Brian Wilson: There are a number of pilot plants using pyrolysis and gasification which may advance to commercial scale operations in due course. There are also commercial operators in other countries who are interested in developing pyrolysis and gasification projects in this country. This was one of the subjects discussed on my recent visit with relevant officials to Japan.
	We propose to include pyrolysis and gasification in the Renewables Obligation to provide an incentive for the development of these technologies to help us meet our target for 2010.

Renewable Energy

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she expects gasification and pyrolysis plants, as specified in the draft Renewables Obligation Order, to be ready to operate commercially using mixed waste as fuel.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 29 October 2001
	There are a number of pilot plants using pyrolysis and gasification which may advance to commercial scale operations in due course. There are also commercial operators in other countries who are interested in developing pyrolysis and gasification projects in this country. This was one of the subjects discussed on my recent visit with relevant officials to Japan.
	We propose to include pyrolysis and gasification in the Renewables Obligation to provide an incentive for the development of these technologies to help us meet our target for 2010.

Gas Imports

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry by what date she expects Norway will be unable to meet further UK demand for gas; and if she will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: Demand for gas is dependent on a number of factors, including energy prices, GDP growth and the impact of other measures such as the Climate Change Programme. Future demand levels are therefore uncertain and, consequently, the extent to which the UK will need to import gas from Norway or elsewhere cannot be accurately predicted. Against that background, current best estimates are that the UK is likely to become a net importer from around 2005–06 with the possibility of 90 per cent. of the UK's gas being imported by 2020.
	Figures from the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate show that Norway has about 2,100bcm of remaining discovered gas resources in the North Sea and expects to be able to produce at least 90bcm of gas a year until 2050. The extent to which those resources might be available to meet further UK demand will depend on a number of variable factors, including movements in gas and oil prices, which may affect the anticipated level of production; any growth in Norway's domestic demand for gas; competition for Norway's gas from other purchasers in Europe and elsewhere; and the availability of capacity in infrastructure linking Norwegian supplies to the UK. Although there will be a point at which Norwegian gas will be unable to meet further UK demand, it is difficult to give a meaningful estimate of when that might be.
	I am, however, fully aware of the need to secure longer term security of supply from a range of sources and this is one of the issues under consideration as part of the Performance and Innovation Unit's current review of energy policy.

Utilities Working Group

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the members of the joint working group of her Department and Ofgem to monitor security of supply; and what its terms of reference are.

Patricia Hewitt: The Working Group comprises officials from my Department, Ofgem and the Performance and Innovation Unit. It is chaired jointly by the Deputy Director General of Energy in my Department and the Technical Director of Ofgem. Representatives of Transco and the National Grid Company will be invited to attend meetings when appropriate. The remit of the Working Group is:
	To assess the available data relevant to security of supply, to identify the gaps in that data and develop appropriate indicators;
	To monitor at a strategic level, over a timescale of at least seven years ahead,
	(a) the availability of supplies of gas;
	(b) the availability of supplies of electricity and fuels used for electricity generation;
	(c) the adequacy of generating capacity; and
	(d) the adequacy of the UK's gas and electricity infrastructure;
	To assess whether appropriate market-based mechanisms are bringing forward timely investment to address any weaknesses in the supply chain that are anticipated;
	To identify relevant policy issues and consider implications.

Aggregates Tax

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received about the effects of the aggregates tax upon the construction industry.

Brian Wilson: A number of construction products companies and associated trade associations have made their concerns regarding the potential impact of the aggregates levy on their overall competitiveness and future level of performance known to me. My officials have drawn these representations to the attention of relevant Government Departments to ensure they are taken into account in the course of discussions between HM Customs and Excise and the industry over the form, implementation and mechanism of the levy.

End of Life Vehicles Directive

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list which countries in the EU have decided on the start date for the implementation of the End of Life Vehicles Directive; and if she will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 23 October 2001
	All EU member states are required to transpose the End of Life Vehicles Directive by 21 April 2002—18 months after it came into force. The directive mandates various dates when individual requirements (e.g. the new recycling standards) must come into force, and in some cases there are options (e.g. when producers must take responsibility for meeting the cost of take back of ELVs). Decisions on these optional dates have in most cases not yet been made.

End of Life Vehicles Directive

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he plans to start implementing the end of vehicles life directive.

Patricia Hewitt: The Government are working to transpose the End of Life Vehicles Directive by 21 April 2002—the date by which all EU member states are required to do so—and to implement its various provisions in accordance with the dates and options specified in the text.

Depleted Uranium Imports

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what approval her Department has given for the import of (a) depleted uranium and (b) products containing depleted uranium, over the last 10 years; what regulations apply to the import of depleted uranium into the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 29 October 2001
	Imports of depleted uranium into the United Kingdom do not require the specific approval of my Department. All imports of armour piercing ammunition, whether or not containing depleted uranium, require an individual import licence granted by my Department under the Import of Goods (Control) Order 1954. No other product containing depleted uranium requires such an individual import licence.
	Information on imports of armour piercing ammunition containing depleted uranium over the last 10 years is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Colliery Canteen Workers (Bassetlaw)

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress his Department has made in the investigation of equal pay claims made by colliery canteen workers in Bassetlaw.

Brian Wilson: Of the 1,300 valid equal value claims made by former canteen ladies and workers, 115 are from the Nottinghamshire area, including those living in my hon. Friend's constituency of Bassetlaw. Of those, 99 have already received payment, and efforts are being made to locate the remaining 16.
	We also have details of some 175 women who do not have valid claims as they were not lodged with an Employment Tribunal in accordance with the terms of the Equal Pay Act 1970.

Oil Shortages

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what contingency plans she has to deal with an oil shortage.

Brian Wilson: Under EU Directive 93/1998 each European Union member state has an obligation to keep stocks of oil that can be made available in the event of any disruption to international oil supplies. As part of this, the UK has an obligation to hold stocks of oil products (including motor spirit) or crude oil equivalent equal to or above 67.5 days' worth of consumption at any one time. In addition, the UK is a member of the International Energy Agency. The 26 IEA member countries, which include the USA and Japan and all other EU member states, all hold emergency stocks of oil and have committed themselves to take effective measures in accordance with IEA plans to meet any international oil supply emergency. The IEA regularly holds exercises to ensure that procedures within the IEA and its member countries are kept up-to-date.

Late Payment

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for each year from 1990 to 2001, what proportion of commercial payments have been late.

Nigel Griffiths: The Department does not hold this information.
	The Credit Management Research Centre (CMRC) has produced a quarterly report on credit management practices in the UK since 1998.
	The CMRC reports show that there has been a fall of almost 7.5 per cent. in the percentage of payments that are reported as being late by the businesses that they survey. This fall relates to the period between their first survey and their most recent published survey, ie the quarter ending June 1998 and the quarter ending June 2001. During the same period their reports show that the number of debtor days for small businesses has fallen by almost 24 per cent. and that the mean number of debtor days for all businesses has fallen by almost 20 per cent.
	Finally, the "European Business Survey" for 2001, produced by the accountants Grant Thornton, shows the UK as having a payment period almost a week (five days) shorter than the EU average (52 days).

Universal Bank

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the latest estimates of the cost of the Universal Bank for (a) the predicted 2 million and (b) the 6 million prospective customers.

Douglas Alexander: Universal banking services consist of two elements, namely access to the financial institutions' basic bank accounts at post offices and a Post Office Card Account (POCA) for the encashment of benefit and tax credits for those unable or unwilling to use even a basic bank account. The banking industry will meet the costs of providing post office access to their own accounts. The cost of the POCA, which will be met by Government, together with a fixed contribution from the financial institutions, is subject to commercial negotiations between Consignia and the Paying Departments and between Consignia and the potential supplier of the banking engine for POCA. The estimate of costs are confidential under Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, because they are subject to commercial negotiations.

Universal Bank

Nigel Beard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in establishing the Universal Bank; and which commercial banks are collaborating with the scheme and in what way.

Douglas Alexander: Barclays, Lloyds TSB, RBS/NatWest, HSBC, Abbey National, the Halifax, Alliance and Leicester, the BOS, NAG, the Co-operative Bank, and the Nationwide Building Society have signed a Memorandum of Understanding agreeing that they will make their PAT 14 basic bank accounts accessible through post offices, commit to simple and straightforward opening of those bank accounts at a post office and contribute £180 million to the costs of the Post Office Card Account (POCA).
	Implementation of universal banking services is making good progress as detailed commercial negotiations continue between the banks, the Paying Departments and Consignia.

Export Licence Application (P.W. Allen)

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will make a decision on granting export licence application 27282, submitted on 10 September, by P.W. Allen and Company, Tewkesbury.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 26 October 2001
	A decision on the export licence application in question has been taken. The company was informed of this decision on 25 October 2001.

Employment Profile (Lancashire)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the population in Lancashire were employed in the (a) manufacturing sector and (b) service sector for each of the last five years.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Lindsay Hoyle, dated 30 October 2001
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question about the proportion of the population in Lancashire employed in the (a) manufacturing sector and (b) service sector for each of the last five years (10087). I am replying in his absence.
	The table below shows the number of employee jobs in the manufacturing and service sectors for each year 1995 to 1999, the latest available.
	
		Lancashire—employee jobs by industry
		
			  Manufacturing Section D of SIC (92) Services Section G-Q of SIC (92)  Other industries(1)  
			  Number (000) Percentage of all employees Number (000) Percentage of all employees Number (000) Percentage of all employees 
		
		
			 1995(2) 129 24.1 378 70.4 30 5.5 
			 1996(2) 130 23.8 384 70.6 31 5.6 
			 1997(2) 131 24.1 384 70.9 27 5.0 
			 1998(3) 139 23.8 411 70.8 31 5.4 
			 1999(3) 130 23.7 384 70.2 33 6.1 
		
	
	(1) 'Other industries' include agriculture, fishing, mining and quarrying, utilities and
	and construction (sections A, B, C, E and F of SIC(92)).
	(2) As at September (1995–97).
	(3) As at December (1998–99).
	These estimates are based on the results of the Annual Employment Survey (1995–1997) and its successor, Part 1 of the Annual Business Inquiry (1998 and 1999). An individual with two jobs would count twice in these figures. The figures cover jobs based in Lancashire rather than individuals who live in Lancashire.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Fly Tipping

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what change there has been in the incidence of fly tipping following the increase in the level of the landfill tax since April; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: The Department does not collate statistics on fly tipping. The Government's review of the tax in March 1998, led by HM Customs and Excise, showed that out of 530 local authorities, only 78 felt that there had been an increase in fly tipping since the introduction of the tax.
	In addition, a Tidy Britain group report, "Effects of the Landfill Tax on Flytipping" (published in 1998), did not establish a clear link between the tax and increased fly tipping. The report showed for 1997–98 that domestic waste was, overall, the type of fly-tipped waste most frequently collected by local authorities. The landfill tax would not make a difference to such waste as householders do not directly meet increases in the cost of the tax.

Countryside and Rights of Way Act

George Mudie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the regulations arising from the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 will be introduced which enable an authority to make a special extinguishment order and special diversion order.

Alun Michael: The regulations will be introduced as soon as possible once the necessary preparatory work has been completed. New sections 118B (special extinguishment order) and 119B (special diversion order) of the Highways Act 1980, to be inserted by schedule 6 to the Countryside and Rights of Way Act, require an order to be made by the Secretary of State prior to commencement. The order must designate the areas where the power to make special extinguishment and special diversion orders, for the purposes of crime prevention, will be available to local highway authorities. The exercise of the power in relation to school security will apply throughout England.
	Officials from my Department and the Home Office are working jointly to establish the most appropriate means of identifying areas to be included in the designation order. I am seeking to implement new sections 118B and 119B in advance of the rest of schedule 6, to ensure these provisions are available at the earliest possible date.

BSE in Sheep (Research)

David Curry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will set out the latest position on (a) the research programme and (b) current monitoring of sheep brains for evidence of BSE infection.

Elliot Morley: DEFRA is funding a great deal of work in relation to BSE in sheep. This includes experiments to assess susceptibility, infectivity and possible transmission in sheep, particularly in relation to different genotypes and breeds. This work will underpin the national scrapie plan.
	At their meeting in September 2001, the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee reviewed the latest data from the current programme of strain typing work to assess whether BSE is present in the current sheep flock. To date, about 180 individual scrapie brains have been inoculated into mice. Results for 163 brains have reached a point where the mice might have been expected to display signs characteristic of BSE, if the disease was present. This has not happened. However, it is too soon to draw firm conclusions from these on-going experiments. Work is also in hand to develop molecular methods of differentiating BSE from scrapie to enable many more brains to be screened rapidly.
	During the development of a molecular method at Veterinary Laboratory Agency (VLA), 460 sheep brains have been screened. None has indicated the presence of BSE, but the test is not yet fully validated and it is therefore too early to draw firm conclusions.

Organic Farming

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take steps to ensure that the planned increase in funding for organic conversion will keep up with the projected increase in demand for organic produce.

Elliot Morley: The England rural development programme already allocates funding for conversion to organic farming, which would triple the organic area by 2006. We intend to produce a strategy for the future direction of organic farming when we have the report of the Commission on the Future of Farming and Food, taking account of any recommendations it makes for this sector. The strategy will assess potential growth both for UK production and for the organic market, and will need to take account of the large variation between different products. It is likely, for example, that UK production of organic fruit and vegetables can take a significantly higher share of the market for these products, while the scope for increasing organic milk production will be much more limited given the relatively slow growth of this market.

Countryside (Access)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take steps to increase accessibility to the countryside for those living in inner cities.

Alun Michael: The new statutory right of access to open countryside will open up new areas of land close to where people live. We expect local authorities to give priority to links between town and country in their rights of way improvement plans and local transport plans, and to consider town to country journeys for leisure purposes, as well as those from the country to the town for work, shopping and education. We are also encouraging local authorities to develop and promote public transport links for people wishing to go to the countryside.

Energy Efficiency Week

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action her Department took in recognition of energy efficiency week.

Michael Meacher: The Government have provided funding to the Energy Saving Trust since 1996–97 to run a wide-ranging programme of work to promote energy efficiency. The Department is providing over £22 million in support of the trust's programme this year. Energy efficiency week is an important part of that programme. I warmly welcome this initiative, and spoke at a parliamentary reception to mark the launch of energy efficiency week on 22 October.

Edmonton Incinerator

Andrew Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action has been taken in respect of allegations made by the "Newsnight" programme on 3 July concerning the dioxin content of ash used for construction from the Edmonton incinerator; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: I am grateful for this opportunity to clarify the answers I gave on 11 July 2000, Official Report, columns 496–97W, and on 27 March 2001, Official Report, column 565W. Until August 2000, the Edmonton incinerator mixed bottom ash and precipitator ash. From August 1998 to May 1999, this mixed ash was reprocessed and used in the production of concrete building blocks. This ash has also been used as an aggregate.
	As the reply to the first of these two questions said, neither the Department nor the Environment Agency routinely held information on the dioxin content of ash from incinerators. However, in July 1998 the Environment Agency was given an estimate of the dioxin content of the mixed ash, based on a 1997 analysis of the fly ash. I was not advised about this when I replied to the second of these questions and regret any consequent inaccuracy in my answer. I have written to both Members and have placed a copy of the letter and the analysis in the fax in the Library of the House.
	The Environment Agency is currently carrying out a full and thorough investigation into the destination of ash from incinerators, the environmental implications of its use and what steps may be needed in the light of these findings. This thorough investigation will establish the true picture for all municipal waste incinerators. Its results will be made public and any necessary action will be taken.

Nuclear Power

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the total cost of nuclear production.

Brian Wilson: I have been asked to reply.
	There is a range of estimates for the cost of producing nuclear power. The performance and innovation unit at the Cabinet Office is currently producing a report on the UK's energy policy and is looking at the cost of potential future energy options, including new nuclear build.
	Its estimates of the cost of producing nuclear-generated electricity can be found at: http://www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/ innovation/2001/energy/2050.pdf.
	Nuclear generators have also produced their own estimates of the cost of producing electricity from new nuclear power stations. Both British Energy and BNFL have made submissions to the PIU and these are on the PIU website.
	The PIU is continuing to discuss cost estimates with the generators.

Food Safety

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the safety of United Kingdom produced lamb products in baby foods.

Hazel Blears: I have been asked to reply.
	I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that it does not advise against the consumption of lamb, and this applies equally to all sections of the population including babies.

Pure Agriculture Students

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many students enrolled this year as (a) undergraduates and (b) postgraduates on a pure agriculture course as in each of the last five years.

Margaret Hodge: I have been asked to reply.
	The total number of entrants to courses in agriculture for the five years since 1996–97 are given in the table; comparable figures for 2001–02 will not be available until April 2002. The latest available data for 2001 entry published by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) show that the number of applicants accepted for entry to full-time and sandwich undergraduate courses in agriculture was 2,707, an increase of 1.7 per cent. compared to the same point last year. The overall increase in accepted applicants in 2001 is 5.6 per cent. UCAS does not cover applicants to part-time or postgraduate courses.
	
		Entrants to courses in agriculture(4)—UK HE Institutions
		
			  Postgraduate Undergraduate Total 
		
		
			 1996–97 544 2,841 3,385 
			 1997–98 507 3,529 4,036 
			 1998–99 504 3,303 3,807 
			 1999–2000 518 3,039 3,557 
			 2000–01 655 3,252 3,907 
		
	
	(4) Full-time and part-time, home and overseas students

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Departmental Expenditure

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total expenditure was on (a) advertising, (b) polling, (c) focus groups, (d) design consultants, (e) caterers, (f) production of departmental publications and (g) photographs/photographers by her Department for each year since 1995 in (i) cash and (ii) real terms; what was (A) the annual percentage increase in spending on each category and (B) spending on each category as a percentage of the total departmental running costs; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: The table shows the available information on expenditure by my Department. No expenditure has been incurred on polling or focus groups. The expenditure on advertising relates to the cost of newspaper advertising for the many public appointments for which I am responsible. Design consultants have only been employed during 1997–98 to design the Department's new identity.
	As expenditure on caterers is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost, I have provided overall hospitality expenditure which contains expenditure on caterers. Expenditure data for the production of Department publications and photographs and photographers for 1995–96 and 1995–96 and 1996–97 respectively were not recorded separately and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 Year Cash (£000) Annual percentage change Spending as percentage of running costs Real terms 2000–01 prices (£000) Annual percentage change Spending as percentage of running costs 
		
		
			  Advertising 
			 1998–99 243 — 1.1 253 — 1.2 
			 1999–2000 140 -42 0.5 143 -44 0.6 
			 2000–01 104 -26 0.4 104 -27 0.4 
			
			  Design consultants 
			 1997–98 26 — 0.1 28 — 0.1 
			
			  Hospitality 
			 1995–96 26 — 0.1 30 — 0.2 
			 1996–97 41 58 0.2 45 53 0.2 
			 1997–98 17 -59 0.1 18 -60 0.1 
			 1998–99 29 71 0.1 30 66 0.1 
			 1999–2000 33 14 0.1 34 11 0.1 
			 2000–01 51 55 0.2 51 52 0.2 
			   
			  Production of departmental publications 
			 1996–97 501 — 2.6 554 — 2.8 
			 1997–98 339 -32 1.7 363 -34 1.8 
			 1998–99 288 -15 1.3 300 -17 1.4 
			 1999–2000 448 56 1.7 456 52 1.8 
			 2000–01 486 8 1.9 486 7 1.9 
			
			  Photographs and photographers 
			 1997–98 2 — 0.0 2 — 0.0 
			 1998–99 1 -50 0.0 1 -51 0.0 
			 1999–2000 6 500 0.0 6 486 0.0 
			 2000–01 3 -50 0.0 3 -51 0.0

Tourism

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the economic state of the tourism sectors in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) England; and what measures she is proposing to assist the tourism industry.

Kim Howells: According to the most recent estimates, total tourism expenditure in the UK is worth some £75 billion and the value added by tourism in the UK is now estimated to be 5 per cent. of GDP.
	For the English tourism industry, our best estimate to date is that the loss of revenue in 2001–02 is likely to be about £3.3 billion in 'value added' terms over the eight month period consideration (March to October) of the foot and mouth disease outbreak. Further losses are expected as a result of the terrorist attacks on the US on 11 September. Individual tourism assessments for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are matters for the devolved Administrations.
	Government and the industry recognise that the challenges facing tourism both for the short and long term must be tackled. Ministers have worked hard with the industry in particular to lessen the impact of foot and mouth disease and the terrorist attacks on the United States, and to attract visitors to Britain. The Government have provided additional funding to help the recovery of domestic tourism and to promote Britain overseas. The industry is taking the lead in improving the quality of product and service.

Tate Modern

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what Government funding has been given to the Tate Modern Gallery.

Kim Howells: In 2000–01 the Government provided £24.9 million in grant-in-aid for the Tate Gallery of which £5 million was to cover the first 10 months of free admission at Tate Modern. In 2001–02 we increased this to £26.9 million of which £6 million is to enable free admission to continue at Tate Modern.

Galleries and Museums (Concessionary Admissions)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to encourage concessionary admission for pensioners to galleries and museums in the UK.

Kim Howells: Our policy is to encourage all museums and galleries to offer the widest possible access to their collections but it is for their governing bodies to offer concessionary admission for pensioners.
	In the case of the national museums and galleries funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport that currently charge, funds have been made available to permit free access for people over 60 since April 2000. However, decisions on admission charges rest with the Trustees. Attendances by people over 60 have risen by 40 per cent. in the first year since free admission was introduced.

TV Licences

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many reminders are sent by the TV Licensing Authority to households that are not recorded as holding licences and at what cost in the latest year for which figures are available.

Kim Howells: For the financial year 2000–01, the Television Licensing Authority sent 16,602,766 mail items to households that were not recorded as holding television licences. This does not include reminder letters which were sent to households where the licence was about to expire or had just expired.
	The cost of this type of mailing is not readily available. The Corporation finds direct mailing the most cost- effective way of contacting television licence fee payers and seeks to maximise, wherever possible, bulk discounts with Royal Mail.

Lottery Bids (Stoke)

George Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many bids to the National Heritage Lottery Fund have been received from the Stoke-on-Trent unitary authority since 1997.

Kim Howells: Since 1 January 1997 the Heritage Lottery Fund has received 28 funding applications relating to projects within the Stoke-on-Trent unitary authority area. 15 of these were made by the authority itself, of which 14 were approved and one withdrawn. Funding awarded to the authority over this period totals £5,626,367.

Listed Buildings

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many buildings were (a) listed and (b) delisted in each year since 1990; and how many had their listing changed (i) from Grade 1 to Grade 2 and (ii) from Grade 2 to Grade 1.

Kim Howells: The information is as follows:
	
		
			 Year Added Removed 
		
		
			 1990 3,633 131 
			 1991 2,144 94 
			 1992 1,984 64 
			 1993 3,227 89 
			 1994 3,909 95 
			 1995 2,070 84 
			 1996 1,843 89 
			 1997 1,349 141 
			 1998 1,945 74 
			 1999 2,299 124 
			 2000 1,300 67 
		
	
	Data relating to changes from one category to another are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Millennium Commission Grants

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which projects that have been awarded a grant from the Millennium Commission specifically relate to the ethnic minority communities; and what the amount received by each project was.

Kim Howells: This is a matter for the Millennium Commission. I will write to my hon. Friend in my capacity as Chair of the Commission, and place copies of my reply in the Libraries of both Houses.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Illegal Drugs

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with coalition partners relating to the international traffic in illegal drugs.

Ben Bradshaw: Our coalition partners are aware that Afghanistan has for many years been the source of nearly all the heroin reaching the streets in Britain and Europe.
	On 11 October representatives of the main donor countries to the United Nations International Drugs Control Programme and of countries close to Afghanistan met in Vienna to discuss Afghan drugs issues.

International Terrorism

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with foreign Governments on international terrorism since 11 September.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has been involved in daily contact with our international partners in the coalition against terrorism.
	The media have reported on my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's many overseas visits to forge the political coalition against terrorism. He will continue to engage partners in this dialogue and process.

International Terrorism

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current condition of the alliance of nations engaged in the fight against terrorism.

Ben Bradshaw: The international consensus is strong and deep. The United Nations, OIC, the G8, NATO and the European Union have all condemned the terrorist attacks. We have encountered an unprecedented level of solidarity and commitment to work together against terrorism.
	This is not simply a military campaign. The adoption of UN Security Council Regulation 1373 demonstrates the commitment of nations from all corners of the world to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorism and to deny terrorists a safe haven from which to operate.

International Terrorism

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Secretary-General of the United Nations to discuss the war against international terrorism; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary are in close touch with the UN Secretary-General about the international campaign against terrorism and have spoken to him on several occasions since 11 September.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary expects to discuss the issue with him in person when he visits New York for the UN General Assembly next month.

International Terrorism

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures to combat terrorism he has discussed with the other member states of the European Union since 11 September.

Ben Bradshaw: Since 11 September the EU has agreed to pursue many new measures to fight terrorism. These include a European arrest warrant, cutting the funding of terrorists, increased co-operation between member states' intelligence services and a strengthening of Europol to include a special anti-terrorist unit. Further measures were taken to improve air security and strengthen the EU's ability to fight terrorism globally.

International Terrorism

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Belgium regarding the international coalition against terrorism.

Ben Bradshaw: My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary and other Government Ministers are in regular contact on a range of issues with their colleagues in the Belgian Government.

Zimbabwe

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with Commonwealth colleagues on the situation in Zimbabwe.

Ben Bradshaw: Both my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and my noble Friend Baroness Amos have held intensive discussions with Commonwealth Partners following the Abuja agreement in early September. Baroness Amos accompanied Commonwealth Partners to Zimbabwe last weekend to assess implementation of the agreement and at yesterday's General Affairs Council in Luxembourg, EU Foreign Ministers voted unanimously to invoke Article 96 of the Cotonou agreement which gives Zimbabwe 60 days to fulfil its obligations or face the consequences.

Africa

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on measures being taken by his Department to ensure greater peace and security in Africa.

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action his Department is carrying out to ensure greater peace and security in Africa.

Ben Bradshaw: Violent conflict is one of the main obstacles to social, economic and political development in Africa today. It is also a potential threat to global security.
	The FCO, in partnership with the MOD and DFID, has been at the forefront of the UK's successful efforts, with the United Nations, to bring peace and security to Sierra Leone. We are also working hard to ensure the success of current international and African efforts to bring an end to the conflicts in the Great Lakes region.
	The UK's approach to conflict prevention in Africa is now co-ordinated in the interdepartmental Africa conflict prevention pool. The aim of this joint pool is to ensure a coherent and effective use of resources to bring greater peace and security to Africa.

Middle East

Christine Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest developments in the middle east peace process.

John Butterfill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next proposes to meet the Israeli Government to discuss the middle east peace process.

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest developments in the middle east peace process.

Ben Bradshaw: I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave earlier in the House today to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Richard Burden), Official Report, column 742.

Afghanistan

Nigel Beard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on policy towards establishing a stable Government in Afghanistan.

Peter Hain: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has set out four principles:
	The future should be placed in the hands of the people of Afghanistan themselves;
	We need a global coalition to help rebuild Afghanistan;
	The UN should take the lead in the political process;
	We have to devote the resources and political will needed to finish the job.

Afghanistan

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his recent discussions with Lakhdar Brahimi, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan.

Ben Bradshaw: Mr. Brahimi visited London on 9 October and met my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and the International Development Secretary. We have maintained regular contact. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to Lakhdar Brahimi by telephone on 22 October. Brahimi agreed with the Foreign Secretary's four principles on the future of Afghanistan, namely:
	The Afghan people must determine their own destiny;
	The international community should form a coalition to help;
	The UN should play a leading role in any transition;
	Resources should be devoted to complete the task.
	The Foreign Secretary informed Brahimi of Paul Bergne's appointment as the Prime Minister's Personal Representative for Afghan Affairs. The Foreign Secretary and Brahimi agreed to stay in close touch.

Afghanistan

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contacts were maintained by his Department with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan prior to 11 September.

Ben Bradshaw: HMG's policy is to recognise states, not governments. We have maintained contacts with all factions in Afghanistan, including the Taliban, but do not and did not prior to 11 September have normal government to government dealings with any of them.

Afghanistan

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with representatives of the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan; what assessment he has made of their political aims; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: British officials maintain regular contact with the Northern Alliance through the Chargé d'Affaires at the Afghan Embassy in London and officials have had a range of contacts with other members of the Northern Alliance including in Afghanistan and during visits by them to Europe. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has recently appointed Paul Bergne as his Personal Representative for Afghan Affairs who will be travelling in the region and meeting with representatives of the Northern Alliance to discuss the immediate political situation in Afghanistan and their aims.

Afghanistan

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that representatives of Afghan women's organisations are involved in the discussions about the composition of a post-Taliban Government.

Ben Bradshaw: Any future Afghan government must be broad-based and representative of the great diversity of the country's ethnic groupings. The form of that government and the process leading to its establishment must be up to the Afghan people themselves. However, the international community has to engage with the widest possible range of community leaders within Afghanistan, which would include women's organisations. We would expect any future government to respect the internationally agreed norms of behaviour towards its own citizens.

National Missile Defence

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy on national missile defence.

Ben Bradshaw: The position is unchanged. We believe that it is important to tackle the potential threat from weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles as their means of delivery with a comprehensive strategy that includes arms control and counter-proliferation, diplomacy, deterrence and defensive measures. We will continue to work closely with the United States in all these areas. We understand the role that missile defence can play as one element of that comprehensive strategy, but as yet we have had no specific proposal from the United States.

Barcelona Process

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he plans to take to promote the Barcelona process following the events of 11 September.

Ben Bradshaw: The UK has always been a strong supporter of the Barcelona process. We welcome the EU's commitment at the General Affairs Council on 8 October
	"to continue its close contacts with its partners in the Barcelona Process, notably at the Ministerial meeting on 6 November" and the Ghent European Council conclusion that it is
	"essential to encourage a dialogue of equals between our civilisations, particularly in the framework of the Barcelona Process".

World Cup 2002

George Mudie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what help his Department will give the England football team in Korea and Japan for the World cup 2002.

Denis MacShane: Our Ambassadors in Korea and Japan as well as my officials in London are in regular contact with the Football Association, the Korean and Japanese organising committees and their respective football associations and police. I discussed this with the Korean Government in Seoul last month. We stand ready to provide whatever support may be necessary for the England team arising from these discussions.

Pakistan (Visas)

Claire Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what provision he has made for visa applications to be submitted in Pakistan and neighbouring countries affected by the military action in Afghanistan.

Ben Bradshaw: Our visa sections in Pakistan remain open. However, due to security considerations we have had to change the way we deliver our service. Posts continue to accept applications through a "drop box" system, which is operated flexibly. Islamabad and Karachi continue to accept settlement applications. Posts in neighbouring countries remain open.

International Criminal Court

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in ratifying the statutes establishing the International Criminal Court.

Peter Hain: The United Kingdom ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, in New York, on 4 October 2001. As the 42nd state to ratify the Statute, the United Kingdom secured a place among the 60 founding members of the Court. The Court will be established immediately following the 60th ratification. A 43rd state, Switzerland, ratified on 12 October.

Sudan

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he has taken following the recent bombings in Bahrel Ghazal in Sudan; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: We are deeply concerned at these further reports of civilian casualties. This underlines the urgent need for progress in the Sudan peace process. Meanwhile we regularly urge both sides to respect internationally agreed norms in their conduct of the war.

Albania

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Albania.

Denis MacShane: We welcome the continuing progress in Albania. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Ilir Meta, Albania has achieved a great deal over the past two years in stabilising the country and extending co-operation with neighbours and the international community. The Albanian Government have continued to take a strong line against extremism in Macedonia and have made some effort to interdict arms supplies to Albanian extremists. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister wrote to Prime Minister Meta on 17 October, and I have held discussions with Foreign Minister Arta Dade to encourage further Albanian support to help resolve the situation in Macedonia.

Angola

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the current situation in Angola.

Ben Bradshaw: We remain concerned at the human consequences of the civil war, which include widespread suffering, violation of human rights and the exclusion of civil society from the political process. We continue to urge dialogue, involving all parties to the conflict, as an essential first step towards addressing these problems.

Pakistan

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many discussions he has had with representatives of the Government of Pakistan since June.

Ben Bradshaw: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met his Pakistani counterpart, Abdul Sattar, for talks in London on 12 June, one of his first engagements following his appointment. I met the Pakistani Foreign Secretary (PUS equivalent), Inam ul Haq, on 23 August for bilateral talks, and my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister visited Pakistan on 5 October.

Pakistan

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Pakistan on restoring elected democratic government.

Ben Bradshaw: We regularly raise the need to restore democratic government with the Government of Pakistan. Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) Ministers (including the UK) also called for further progress towards democracy in September. We welcome President Musharraf's commitment to implement his "road map" to democracy proposals, offering the prospect of multi-party elections to the provincial and national assemblies and senate by 12 October 2002.

Nice Treaty

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made by member states of the European Union in ratifying the Nice treaty.

Peter Hain: The following member states have ratified the Nice treaty:
	Denmark
	France
	Luxembourg.
	The other member states are at various stages of their respective constitutional processes of ratification.

European Foreign and Security Policy

Rachel Squire: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had on national Parliament scrutiny of European common foreign and security policy.

Peter Hain: The current position on national parliamentary scrutiny of the European Union's foreign and security policy is set out in the Government's White Paper of November 1998 on the Scrutiny of European Union Business. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has proposed that representatives of national Parliaments be more involved in European matters through a second chamber of the European Parliament. The role of national Parliaments in the European architecture is one of the agenda items for the next Inter-Governmental Conference in 2004. Ministers and officials have regular discussions with a wide range of contacts on this as well as on other Inter-Governmental Conference issues.

Kosovo

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his estimate is of the number of (a) Serbs and (b) Kosovo Albanians killed in Kosovo since 1 January.

Denis MacShane: According to the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), 41 Kosovo Albanians and 17 Kosovo Serbs were killed in Kosovo during the period 1 January to 31 July 2001.

Kosovo

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when exhumation will begin at the Suva Reka mass grave site; and what indication he has as to the ethnic identity of the bodies contained there.

Denis MacShane: The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) completed their exhumations in Suva Reka in October 2000. The 73 bodies identified so far have been Kosovo Albanians. There are still a number of, as yet, unexamined gravesites and an UNMIK cemetery at Suva Reka where 300 unidentified bodies, exhumed by ICTY from graves across Kosovo, were re-interred. UNMIK plans to launch a comprehensive programme of exhumations and identifications in Kosovo, including at Suva Reka, in spring 2002.

Entry Clearance (Bombay)

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the case of Jayeshkumar Jethalal Javia, Bombay case ref: R/01/7052.

Ben Bradshaw: Jayeshkumar Jethalal Javia was refused entry clearance at the Deputy High Commission in Bombay on 25 September 2001. I will write to my hon. Friend and provide a full explanation of the reasons for this decision as soon as possible.

Entry Clearance (Bombay)

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of the case of Sajanji Jivaji Odedra, Bombay ref: R/99/224–5-6; and when the visa is likely to be issued.

Ben Bradshaw: The Deputy High Commission in Bombay referred the case of Sajanji Jivaji Odedra to the Home Office for consideration outside of the Immigration Rules in November 2000. Their response is awaited. I have asked officials to investigate the reasons for delay and I will write to my hon. Friend with my findings as soon as possible.

Colombia

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what activities Her Majesty's Government have been involved with in Colombia in the last six months; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: HMG continue to be at the forefront of international efforts to support the peace process in Colombia. This Government also support the Colombian Government's efforts to tackle the production and trafficking of illegal drugs. We also support practical measures to address the inter-connected problems of human rights and internal conflict. Earlier this month, I visited Colombia to discuss these and other issues with Colombian Government representatives, the Human Rights Ombudsman, members of non-governmental organisations, trade unions, peace activists, and representatives of the media and UK business community. In addition, I believe that more concerted international action needs to be taken to tackle the problems of illegal small arms, precursor chemicals and money laundering by the Colombian illegal armed groups. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will host a series of meetings in London later this year and early next year on these themes in order to look at ways we can further assist the peace process, and reduce the ability of extremist groups to use violence for political ends.

Australia

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) representations he has received and (b) discussions he has held with the Government of Australia concerning their approach to asylum applications from Afghanistan nationals.

Denis MacShane: Immigration into Australia is a matter for the Australian Government to determine.
	On 3 September Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer used the opportunity of a series of regular meetings in London with my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and me to explain Australia's position on the MV Tampa refugees.

Commonwealth Countries

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what ministerial contacts there have been since 1997 with Commonwealth countries suspended from membership.

Ben Bradshaw: The only country suspended from Commonwealth membership in this period was Nigeria, whose suspension began in 1995 and ended in June 1999 when democratic government was restored. EU and other sanctions prevented Ministerial contact between the UK and the Abacha regime between 1995 and June 1998. Ministerial contacts resumed after the death of Abacha. Currently, Pakistan and Fiji are suspended from the councils of the Commonwealth: Pakistan since October 1999 and Fiji since June 2000.

Diego Garcia

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements the US has made with the UK Government over their use of Diego Garcia; what British forces are stationed on the island; what plans the Government have to increase the UK's facilities there; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: There are a series of bilateral agreements between the UK and US concerning the availability and use of Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory, for defence purposes. The Territory remains available to meet the defence needs of both Governments, while remaining under UK sovereignty.
	There are currently approximately 40 Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel based on Diego Garcia. There are no plans to increase the UK's facilities there.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Racial Hatred

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Solicitor-General how many people have been (a) charged and (b) convicted for incitement to racial hatred in each year for which figures are available.

Harriet Harman: Records for prosecutions for incitement of racial hatred under part III of the Public Order Act 1986 have been kept since 1988. The records relate to the year that the application for consent to prosecute was dealt with and so it is not possible to state with any certainty how many prosecutions resulted in convictions in any given year. The number of applications for consent to prosecute for each year since 1988, the number of prosecutions arising and the convictions obtained are summarised in the table.
	Also, figures published in the Crown Prosecution Service Racist Incident Monitoring Annual Report 1999–2000 show that the number of racist incidents sent for prosecution rose from 1,603 in 1998–99 to 2,417 in 1999–2000. Prosecutions were brought against 1,832 defendants (76 per cent.) on 2,651 charges. Guilty pleas were tendered on 66 per cent. of the charges and there were convictions after trial on another 12 per cent. of the charges. In total 2,078 (79 per cent.) of the 2,651 charges prosecuted resulted in convictions.
	Almost half the prosecutions prosecuted were new offences of racially aggravated crime brought under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, which came into force in September 1999. A high proportion of the remaining offences contained admissible evidence of racial aggravation and were prosecuted under other legislation.
	
		Consent applications and prosecutions since 1988 under Part III of the Public Order Act 1986
		
			 Year Number of Attorney-General consent applications (per defendant) Withdrawn Not granted Prosecuted (5)Convicted 
		
		
			 1988 3 — 1 2 2 
			 1989 1 — — 1 1 
			 1990 2 — — 2 2 
			 1991 4 — 1 3 1 
			 1992 5 — 2 3 2 
			 1993 2 — — 2 2 
			 1994 2 — — 2 2 
			 1995 8 1 — 7 6 
			 1996 13 1 — 12 9 
			 1997 12 — 2 10 9 
			 1998 2 1 — 1 1 
			 1999 4 — — 4 3 
			 2000 5 — — 5 (6)2 
			 2001 to date 7 — — 7 (7) 
		
	
	(5) Not necessarily in the same year
	(6) Two results outstanding
	(7) Results awaited

PRIME MINISTER

Prime Minister's Powers

Graham Allen: To ask the Prime Minister further to his reply of 15 October 2001, Official Report, columns 818–19W, on the Prime Minister's powers, if he will list the 50 specific references in statute to Prime Ministerial powers.

Tony Blair: I have placed in the Library of the House a list of the statutory references to the title 'Prime Minister'.

Afghanistan

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with President Bush on the use of cluster bombs by coalition forces in Afghanistan; and what restrictions were agreed on their use.

Tony Blair: I am in close contact with the US on all aspects of the response to the 11 September attacks, including at the military planning level.
	The cluster bombs used in Afghanistan do not contain anti-personnel landmines and are therefore legitimate weapons which have not been prohibited by any treaty or convention. They are used with discretion and proportionality as international law requires, and against legitimate and appropriate terrorist and military targets that are selected with great care.

Afghanistan

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will consult President Bush on initiating talks with the Government of Iraq concerning the Taliban and Osama bin Laden.

Tony Blair: I am in regular contact with President Bush on a wide range of issues including those relating to the current situation in Afghanistan. There are no plans at present to discuss initiating talks with the Government of Iraq.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum Seekers

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what, for each month of (a) 1998, (b) 1999, (c) 2000 and (d) 2001 to date, was the total number of Afghanistan nationals who have (i) applied for asylum, (ii) been granted refugee status, (iii) been refused asylum, (iv) been granted asylum on appeal and (v) been deported.

Angela Eagle: The available data on applications and initial decisions are included in the table.
	The Immigration Appellate Authority allowed five appeals (to nearest five) from Afghan nationals in 1998. Data on appeal outcomes by nationality are not available for 1999, 2000, or 2001. Mechanisms are now in place to enable the production of such statistics for 2001, but their publication is pending data quality checks to guarantee their reliability.
	Monthly data on the removal of Afghan asylum applicants are unavailable. In 1998, 15 Afghan applicants (to nearest five) were removed or departed voluntarily following the initiation of enforcement action against them. Information on the number of Afghan applicants removed from the United Kingdom between 1999 and 2001 is unavailable.
	
		Applications received for asylum in the UK, excluding dependants, and initial decisions, for nationals of Afghanistan, 1998–2001(8)
		
			Cases considered under normal procedures(11) Backlog clearance exercise(12)  
			 Month Applications(9) Total decisions(10) Grants of asylum Grants of ELR Total refusals Granted asylum or ELR under backlog criteria(13) Refused under backlog criteria(14) 
		
		
			 1998
			 January 110 55 * 25 25 — — 
			 February 90 150 — 140 5 — — 
			 March 150 130 5 120 5 — — 
			 April 115 140 * 140 5 — — 
			 May 140 80 * 80 — — — 
			 June 175 135 * 130 * — — 
			 July 180 165 * 160 5 — — 
			 August 275 230 5 225 * — — 
			 September 255 240 5 235 * — — 
			 October 260 140 5 130 5 — — 
			 November 310 90 5 80 5 — — 
			 December 325 45 5 35 5 — — 
			  
			 Total 2,395 1,600 35 1,500 65 — — 
			 1999(15)
			 January 275 (16)— (16)— (16)—
			 February 255 (16)— (16)— (16)—
			 March 285 (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— 
			 April 295 (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— 
			 May 295 (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— 
			 June 370 (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— 
			 July 330 (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— 
			 August 415 (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— 
			 September 355 (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— 
			 October 355 (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— 
			 November 375 (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— 
			 December 380 (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— (16)— 
			  
			 Total 3,975 1,295 15 1,180 90 10 — 
			 2000
			 January 315 40 * 15 20 5 — 
			 February 460 100 5 30 65 — — 
			 March 365 130 10 35 85 — — 
			 April 510 135 15 50 70 — — 
			 May 430 120 10 45 65 * — 
			 June 395 120 5 25 85 * — 
			 July 405 125 15 30 80 — — 
			 August 495 180 15 40 120 * — 
			 September 535 175 10 30 135 — — 
			 October 560 410 45 30 340 — — 
			 November 550 515 115 110 285 — — 
			 December 535 545 130 255 160 — — 
			  
			 Total 5,555 2,590 375 695 1,515 10 — 
			 2001(17)
			 January 510 1,020 175 555 290 — — 
			 February 615 1,320 225 785 310 — — 
			 March 680 2,045 375 1,215 450 — — 
			 April 700 930 195 550 185 — — 
			 May 900 1,025 220 615 190 — — 
			 June 910 985 220 600 165 — — 
			 July 810 875 220 485 165 — — 
			  
			 Total 5,120 8,195 1,635 4,800 1,760 — — 
		
	
	(8) Figures rounded to nearest 5, with * = 1 or 2
	(9) May exclude some cases lodged at local enforcement offices between January 1999 and March 2000
	(10) Information is of initial decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions
	(11) Cases considered under normal procedures may include some cases decided under backlog criteria
	(12) Cases decided under measures aimed at reducing the pre 1996 asylum application backlog
	(13) Includes cases where asylum or ELR has been granted under the backlog criteria
	(14) Includes some cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds
	(15) 1999 data on decisions are not available by month due to problems with data quality
	(16) Not available
	(17) Provisional data

Asylum Seekers

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers in Spelthorne borough are funded by the Government.

Angela Eagle: Figures are not available by borough for those asylum seekers receiving support under the national asylum support scheme, nor is information available centrally on the number of asylum seekers supported under the interim support scheme in the Spelthorne borough.
	Statistics from the national asylum support service (NASS) for the end of July 2001 show that 13,160 1 , 2 asylum seekers (including dependants) were receiving voucher-only support from NASS and were staying in the London region, which includes Spelthorne. A further 680 1 , 2 asylum seekers (including dependants) were being supported in NASS accommodation in the London region 3 .
	1 Figures rounded to the nearest 10.
	2 Cases which have had their support ceased are excluded from these figures.
	3 It is NASS policy to allocate accommodation in London only in exceptional circumstances such as medical reasons.

Asylum Seekers

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional provision is being made available for asylum-seeker women who are HIV positive, who are not able to breastfeed their children, and who are not entitled to milk tokens or section 17 payments.

Angela Eagle: Asylum-seeking mothers who are supported by the national asylum support service (NASS) may claim additional support on the birth of their baby, amounting to £30.95 per week. They may also be eligible for a maternity payment of £300. Asylum-seeking women who are HIV positive, and who are not able to breastfeed their babies, are not eligible for any other additional support under the NASS scheme.

Asylum Seekers

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people he estimates are resident in this country on the basis of (a) indefinite leave to remain, (b) exceptional leave to remain first granted before 31 March 1996 and (c) full refugee status.

Angela Eagle: The table provides data on those persons granted settlement in the United Kingdom, ie granted the right to stay indefinitely, in each year from 1990 to 2000.
	However, it is not possible to determine how many people are resident in the United Kingdom at any one time on the basis of their immigration status. Information on those granted indefinite leave to remain who die or subsequently leave the United Kingdom is not recorded.
	
		Acceptances for settlement 1990 to 2000
		
			Number of persons  
			  1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 All acceptances(18) 53,200 53,900 52,570 55,640 55,010 55,480 61,730 58,720 69,790 97,120 125,090 
			 Refugees and persons given exceptional leave to remain(19),(20) 1,130 990 1,780 3,990 3,290 1,600 4,200 4,830 6,680 22,500 24,840 
			 Of which:
			 Recognised refugees(19),(20),(21) 930 750 1,280 2,850 2,260 680 1,120 2,400 4,270 22,500 24,840  
			 Persons given exceptional leave to remain(19),(20) 200 240 500 1,140 1,030 920 3,080 2,430 2,410   
			 All other acceptances(18) 52,070 52,910 50,790 51,650 51,720 53,880 57,530 53,890 63,110 74,620 100,250 
		
	
	(18) Includes spouses and dependants (including spouses and dependants of refugees and persons granted exceptional leave to remain)
	(19) Accepted in own right (excludes spouses and dependants)
	(20) The information in the table relates to the total number of persons granted settlement (indefinite leave to remain) in any one year and does not necessarily relate to the year that refugee or exceptional leave status was granted
	(21) Includes refugees from South East Asia and their dependants and persons granted settlement under measures aimed at reducing the pre-July 1993 backlog as announced in the White Paper in July 1998

Asylum Seekers

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recent representations the national asylum support service has received in relation to management and support services at Landmark and the Inn on the Park in Everton, Liverpool; and what the nature of those representations was.

Angela Eagle: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 19 October 2001, Official Report, column 1394W. No further representations have been received since that date.

Criminal Injuries (Compensation)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were awaiting an award decision at the end of each quarter; what was the average time it took to process an award; how many people were awaiting an appeal decision on their award at the end of each quarter; and what was the average time it took to process an appeal for an award from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority for each quarter from the start of 1998–99 to quarter 2 of 2001–02, broken down by those (a) over and (b) under 60.

Keith Bradley: Data are available only in respect of cases lodged under the tariff scheme, which was introduced with effect from 1 April 1996. Information about residual cases lodged under the common law damages scheme in force before that date is not collated centrally.
	The data in the tables have been provided by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). The following additional information may be helpful in interpreting that data.
	Claimants dissatisfied with the first decision of CICA (claims assessment) can formally seek a review of that decision by a more senior member of the authority (review). Claimants dissatisfied with the reviewed decision can make a formal appeal to the independent appellate body, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel (appeal).
	The data in table 1 show the number of claimants awaiting a decision at each of the three stages. Table 2 shows the average time taken from receipt of the application to claims assessment. Table 3 shows the time taken to process an application for review, and table 4 the time taken to process an appeal application.
	
		Table 1: Cases awaiting an award decision
		
			  Claims assessment Review Appeal Total 
		
		
			 1998–99 
			 Quarter 1 53,473 11,758 2,739 67,970 
			 Quarter 2 53,482 12,047 3,418 68,947 
			 Quarter 3 52,232 10,976 4,153 67,361 
			 Quarter 4 53,011 10,888 5,438 69,337 
			 
			 1999–2000 
			 Quarter 1 51,059 11,201 5,535 67,795 
			 Quarter 2 54,566 11,421 6,701 72,688 
			 Quarter 3 53,093 10,945 6,983 71,021 
			 Quarter 4 55,574 11,018 7,497 74,089 
			  
			 2000–01 
			 Quarter 1 56,766 11,120 7,801 75,687 
			 Quarter 2 58,386 12,272 7,814 78,472 
			 Quarter 3 58,352 13,211 7,074 78,637 
			 Quarter 4 60,104 13,011 6,518 79,633 
			  
			 2001–02 
			 Quarter 1 61,224 13,790 6,061 81,075 
			 Quarter 2 61,825 13,949 5,194 80,968 
		
	
	
		Table 2: Average time elapsed between application and decision—claims assessment stage
		
			 Decision issued  Total number of decisions Average time (days) Number of decisions for applicants 60 years and older Average time (days) 
		
		
			 1998–99 
			 April-June 19,400 233 797 196 
			 July-September 17,451 238 813 204 
			 October-December 18,973 234 811 206 
			 January-March 22,044 239 1,050 214 
			  
			 1999–2000 
			 April-June 17,644 233 842 194 
			 July-September 17,644 216 890 184 
			 October-December 18,910 200 959 173 
			 January-March 18,576 218 986 190 
			  
			 2000–01 
			 April-June 16,698 234 899 195 
			 July-September 16,487 240 896 208 
			 October-December 18,068 239 883 222 
			 January-March 17,557 265 887 233 
			  
			 2001–02 
			 April-June 17,239 263 892 226 
			 July-September 18,188 270 904 230 
		
	
	
		Table 3: Time taken to process a review application
		
			   Total number of decisions Average time taken (days) Number of decisions for applicants 60 years and older Average time taken (days) 
		
		
			 1998–99 
			 April-June 3,914 180 157 148 
			 July-September 4,536 184 170 155 
			 October-December 5,482 195 237 165 
			 January-March 5,787 192 216 158 
			   
			 1999–2000 
			 April-June 4,648 193 192 162 
			 July-September 4,622 189 188 147 
			 October-December 5,388 186 280 145 
			 January-March 5,359 180 247 130 
			   
			 2000–01 
			 April-June 4,259 214 170 155 
			 July-September 3,187 228 163 186 
			 October-December 3,426 256 186 185 
			 January-March 4,644 249 177 181 
			  
			 2001–02 
			 April-June 3,528 262 159 209 
			 July-September 3,751 254 177 206 
		
	
	
		Table 4: Time taken to process appeals
		
			   Total number of cases resolved Average time taken (days) Number of decisions for applicants 60 years and older Average time taken (days) 
		
		
			 1998–99 
			 April-June 423 188 19 190 
			 July-September 569 215 24 204 
			 October-December 608 241 20 256 
			 January-March 673 274 42 265 
			  
			 1999–2000 
			 April-June 914 276 50 280 
			 July-September 1,002 303 40 294 
			 October-December 1,065 325 46 328 
			 January-March 1,099 351 42 342 
			  
			 2000–01 
			 April-June 863 390 30 388 
			 July-September 1,080 416 58 399 
			 October-December 1,369 387 74 364 
			 January-March 1,517 421 79 386 
			   
			 2001–02 
			 April-June 1,323 418 66 391 
			 July-September 1,438 392 82 391

Yarls Wood Immigration Detention Centre

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many people are employed at Yarls Wood immigration detention centre, broken down by (a) contractors employed by outside firms, (b) his Department's officials and (c) those in other categories;
	(2)  what is the expected date for the opening of the Yarls Wood immigration detention centre;
	(3)  what is the cost of the construction of Yarls Wood immigration detention centre.

Angela Eagle: The new immigration detention centre at Yarls Wood is expected to open by 19 November 2001.
	At this moment in time the following numbers are employed within the centre:
	(a) Contractor's Personnel (including sub-contractors): 730
	(b) Home Office Personnel: 23
	(c) Other Categories: 14.
	The cost of the construction of the detention centre cannot be disclosed on the ground of commercial confidentiality.

Immigration Snatch Squads

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations his Department has received about the proposed operation of immigration snatch squads; what assessment he has made of the consequences for public order; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: We do not have any plans to introduce snatch squads.
	The immigration service has run a highly successful pilot scheme to conduct visits and arrests without the assistance of the police. In the pilot year, 413 visits were conducted and no complaints were received. Three arrest teams have been established in the metropolitan area. By the end of March 2002, each immigration service region should have an arrest team. A full risk assessment is conducted in conjunction with the police before any visit takes place.

Islamic Fundamentalists

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from France concerning the activities of Islamic fundamentalist extremists in the United Kingdom with particular reference to individuals and groups with Algerian connections; and if he will make a reference.

Angela Eagle: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has received representations from France in relation to two Algerian individuals suspected of involvement with the GIA (Armed Islamic Group) organisation. The French Government are seeking the extradition of both men. Solicitors for one of the suspects have given notice of their intention to apply for judicial review. A committal hearing is pending for the second suspect.
	As the Home Secretary said in his statement on 15 October, a review of extradition procedure has already been undertaken and we intend to bring forward measures to modernise and place our extradition laws within the context of the new international situation, streamlining while retaining rights of appeal.

Mr. Aril Tuysug

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the administrative handling of the case of Mr. Aril Tuysug of north-east Bedfordshire, with particular reference to the loss of his papers by his Department; and when he will reply to the letter dated 12 September from the hon. Member for North-East Bedfordshire.

Angela Eagle: Mr. Tuysug's outstanding application was not considered, as unfortunately his Home Office file could not be located despite an exhaustive search. In this regard, the Immigration and Nationality Directorate wrote to Mrs. Tuysug on 12 September asking her husband to make a fresh application that would be considered as a matter of priority.
	I wrote to the hon. Member on 24 October advising him accordingly.

Language Analysis Pilot

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will make an authorisation under section 19D of the Race Relations Act 1976 on a language analysis pilot.

Angela Eagle: In the light of evidence that some asylum applicants are falsely posing as nationals from countries with high grants rates of asylum or exceptional leave, we have decided to undertake a language analysis pilot at the start of November 2001.
	The purpose of language analysis is to provide expert evidence which helps to identify the place of origin of asylum seekers. Language analysis is used in a number of European countries and the results are generally successful. We will be piloting the scheme to see how well language analysis works in the United Kingdom, and for the purposes of the pilot we will be covering asylum seekers of three nationalities where we believe the problem of false nationality claims to be most pronounced. Those nationalities are Afghanistan, Somalia and Sri Lanka.
	The authorisation made by my right hon. and noble Friend Lord Rooker will enable staff in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, where there are objective reasons for doubting the nationality of a person claiming to be from one of these three countries, to request them to undertake a further interview which will be taped and sent to a language expert for analysis. Individuals may refuse to consent to this further interview, but this refusal can be taken into account when determining whether the applicant has established the facts of their case. This may lead to their claim being refused.
	We will review the need for this authorisation once the pilot has been completed. In addition, the race monitor to be appointed under section 19E of the Race Relations Act 1976 (as amended) will report to Parliament via the Secretary of State on the likely effect of authorisations made by Ministers and on how they are operated in practice by officials.
	A copy of the additional authorisation has been placed in the Library. Any future additional or amended authorisations will also be placed in the Library.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Unqualified Teachers (Maintained Schools)

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the number of unqualified teachers in maintained schools in each of the last five years.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 15 October 2001
	Full-time equivalent teachers without Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in the maintained schools sector, England 1997 to 2001 are as follows:
	
		
			 Year Teachers on routes to QTS(22) Instructors and other teachers without QTS(23) Total 
		
		
			 1997 460 2,480 2,940 
			 1998 570 2,640 3,220 
			 1999 470 3,070 3,540 
			 2000 580 3,240 3,820 
			 2001 1,280 4,340 5,620 
		
	
	(22) Those on the Graduate Teacher Programme, Registered Teacher Programme, Licensed Teacher Scheme and Overseas Trained Teacher Scheme
	(23) On contracts of at least one month
	Note:
	Totals may not sum due to rounding; all figures have been rounded to the nearest 10

Teachers (Age Profile)

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of teachers in work are due to retire in the next (a) five years, (b) 10 years and (c) 15 years.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 15 October 2001
	In March 2000, 5.9 per cent. of full-time regular teachers in the maintained schools sector in England were aged 55–59, and will reach the retirement age of 60 during the next five years. 23.5 per cent. were aged 50 to 59, and will reach age 60 during the next 10 years. 44.5 per cent. were aged 45–59, and will reach age 60 over the next 15 years.
	The Department takes teacher demographic changes into account when setting annual initial teacher training targets.

Individual Learning Accounts

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many complaints have been received about the Individual Learning Accounts scheme.

John Healey: Between 4 September 2000 and 30 September 2001, the Individual Learning Accounts Centre received 6,053 complaints. This represents 0.25 per cent. of over 2.3 million learners.

Individual Learning Accounts

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has of the cost of the abuse of the operation of the Individual Learning Account scheme; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: It is not possible at this stage to determine costs in relation to the abuse of the Individual Learning Account programme. It will only become clear once we have concluded the investigations we are currently undertaking into providers about whom we have received complaints.

Individual Learning Accounts

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many complaints had been received in relation to the operation of Individual Learning Accounts (a) before 31 July and (b) at the latest available date; and when the first complaint was received.

John Healey: The national framework for ILAs first became operational on 4 September, and in that month the Individual Learning Account (ILA) Centre received five complaints out of a total of over 100,000 learners.
	At 31 July 2001, 3,096 complaints had been received, representing 0.19 per cent. of more than 1.5 million learners.
	At 30 September 2001, 6,053 complaints had been received, representing 0.25 per cent. of over 2.3 million learners.

Individual Learning Accounts

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what allegations of criminal conduct have been received by her Department in relation to the operation of individual learning accounts.

John Healey: The Department has received a number of complaints from individuals alleging that providers have claimed their ILA incentives without their knowledge. A number of these allegations are currently under investigation by both the Department and the police. Until these investigations have been completed the Department will be unable to confirm if any criminal activity has taken place.

Individual Learning Accounts

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many complaints about the Individual Learning Accounts scheme have been upheld when investigated by an external body.

John Healey: To date, the police have undertaken suspected fraud investigations into three providers resulting in a total of 29 arrests. They are also investigating one other provider's ILA activities following their arrest in connection with a suspected fraud on an unrelated matter. In addition, the Department's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) continues to investigate a further 29 providers. Police are in the early stages of investigating suspected fraud by two of these and have expressed an initial interest in another nine providers. SIU is undertaking investigations work on these nine cases prior to a possible formal police investigation.
	As a result of these and other investigations by officials, three learning providers have so far been permanently removed from the list of registered providers and another 37 providers have been removed pending the outcome of investigations into the complaints received.

Individual Learning Accounts

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what controls her Department put in place at the commencement of operation of the Individual Learning Account scheme; how the scheme was monitored while it was in operation; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: ILAs were an innovative initiative that put learning power in the hands of the individual. The system was designed to make the learning process as simple and straightforward as possible, cutting down on bureaucracy, in order that the individual could access learning opportunities in an easy, user-friendly way.
	We have undertaken audits and inspections in cases where we received complaints that learning providers were misusing ILAs or provided poor value for money. We introduced a revised learner provider agreement that made it harder for providers to act against the ethos of the programme. We also made changes to the applications process, for the same purpose. It is our careful monitoring of the scheme that has enabled us to take prompt action to safeguard public funds.

Individual Learning Accounts

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to order an inquiry into alleged abuse of the operation of the individual learning accounts scheme; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: Our policy is that all complaints that we receive alleging misuse of ILAs should be investigated. In cases where we believe criminal activity is involved, they will be referred to the police for investigation.

Individual Learning Accounts

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what evidence she has that the Individual Learning Account scheme was being abused by offering low value, poor quality learning; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: Our investigations into the practices of some learning providers have revealed low-quality learning provision and poor value for money as well as a number of marketing practices which are unacceptable. Individual Learning Account holders have reported many of these instances to us and to Trading Standards Officers, as have other learning providers who did not want to see an innovative, progressive and successful initiative being exploited.

Individual Learning Accounts

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she is taking to discover the extent of the abuse of the operation of the Individual Learning Account scheme; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: We are working closely with individuals, learning providers, local Trading standards Officers, the Individual Learning Account (ILA) Centre and the police to identify and fully investigate all potential abuses of the ILA scheme. We are also writing to all 2.5 million individual learning account holders to inform them of the withdrawal of the scheme, and any additional allegations of abuse we receive as a result will be investigated.

Individual Learning Accounts

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on what date she was first informed of complaints concerning the operation of the individual learning account; and what action she took at that time.

John Healey: In July of this year, the Department started to receive increasing numbers of complaints from individuals and local Trading Standards Officers. In response the Department took action to tighten up the ILA system to address these problems. We re-registered all learning providers, withdrew blank application forms, suspended all new provider registrations, introduced a revised learning provider agreement that made it harder for providers to act against the ethos of the programme, and made changes to the applications process, for the same purpose. Everyone who opened an ILA received a copy of 'Choosing Your Learning', explaining the full range of options in using their ILA. However, it became clear that these changes were not sufficient by themselves to prevent the mis-selling of ILAs. At that point we decided we had no option other than to withdraw the programme.

Individual Learning Accounts

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if arrests have been made in relation to the operation of individual learning accounts; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: There have been 30 arrests made by the police to date involving four registered individual Learning Account providers.

Classroom Assistants

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many employed classroom assistants worked in schools in England and Wales (a) at the latest available date, (b) in 1996 and (c) in 1997.

Stephen Timms: The numbers of full time equivalent teaching assistants employed in maintained schools in England in January 2001, 1997 and 1996 were 95,815, 61,262 and 56,692 respectively.
	For information on teaching assistants in Wales, I refer the hon. Member to the National Assembly for Wales.

Teacher Vacancies

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the scope and content is of the research project she is commissioning into the reasons why teachers are leaving the profession.

Stephen Timms: When the scope and nature of the study is finalised, we expect it to explore the factors affecting teachers' decisions to leave the profession, the characteristics of those leaving, their destinations and what might have convinced them to stay in teaching. This is likely to involve a nationally representative survey as well as more detailed in-depth work.

Ofsted

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many former employees of local authorities transferred to Ofsted on 1 September; how many of those who transferred are (a) women and (b) men; and when it is expected that Ofsted will have in place a child care strategy for its employees.

Stephen Timms: These are matters for HM Chief Inspector of Schools and I have therefore asked Mike Tomlinson to write to my hon. Friend and to place a copy of his letter in the Library.

Teacher Training

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers there were in training in each year since 1 May 1997.

Stephen Timms: The numbers of new entrants and continuing teacher trainees in Initial Teacher Training Courses in England in each academic year from 1997–98 to 2000–01 were as follows:
	
		Number of trainees in Initial Teacher Training Courses, -- 1997–98 to 2000–01—England only
		
			 Year Total number 
		
		
			 1997–98 53,715 
			 1998–99 49,826 
			 1999–2000 46,132 
			 2000–01 46,572 
		
	
	Source:
	Teacher Training Agency (TTA), Survey of ITT Providers
	Further places are available on employment-based training for graduate trainees. The total numbers of graduate trainees entering employment-based training each year from 1997–98 to 2000–01 in England were as follows:
	
		Number of new entrants to Employment Based Training, -- 1997–98 to 2000–01—England only
		
			 Year Total number 
		
		
			 1997–98 420 
			 1998–99 634 
			 1999–2000 925 
			 2000–01 1,879 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures show the number of entrants to the Graduate and Registered Teacher Programmes and the former Overseas Teacher and Licensed Teacher Schemes.
	Source:
	TTA

Teachers (East Yorkshire)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what provision she will make to ensure the recruitment of 600 new teachers in the East Riding of Yorkshire; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The East Riding of Yorkshire will continue to benefit from Government teacher recruitment and retention initiatives that have already delivered an increase of 11,000 between 1997 and 2001 in the numbers of full-time equivalent regular teachers working in England, and which will deliver a further increase of at least 10,000 over the next five years.

Specialist Status

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what average length of time it takes schools to raise the necessary sponsorship to gain specialist status.

Stephen Timms: This information is not collected by the Department.

Literacy and Numeracy Results

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what inquiries her Department is undertaking into the premature disclosure of literacy and numeracy test results in September; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: An inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the release of the 2001 Key Stage results is under way.

New Schools

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what guidance she proposes to issue on determining the need for the creation of new schools;
	(2)  what guidelines she plans to give to local education authorities on the establishment of new faith schools.

Stephen Timms: The White Paper "Schools achieving success" said that we wish to welcome faith schools, with their distinctive ethos and character, into the maintained sector where there is clear local agreement. Local education authorities cannot establish schools with a religious character. Current guidance to School Organisation Committees (which decide proposals and on which the local education authority is represented) will be revised to ensure that proposals from promoters of new faith schools are given the same consideration as other proposals for new schools. Guidance on the factors to be considered in deciding whether there is a need for a new school more generally is given in the Guidance on Statutory Proposals which will be updated as necessary. We will also issue guidance to local education authorities about the new arrangements for inviting proposals when they consider that a new secondary school is required that is not to replace existing provision. Such proposals will be decided by the Secretary of State and may include proposals for church and other faith schools.

Funding

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list for (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000 and (d) 2000–01 each fund stream for which (i) primary schools, (ii) secondary schools and (iii) further education colleges could apply, setting out for each stream (A) the total amount available, (B) the amount awarded, (C) the number of applicants, (D) the number of successful applicants and (E) the average amount awarded to a successful applicant.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not held centrally in the Department and could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Surplus Places

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will abolish the surplus places rule.

Stephen Timms: There is no rule on the permitted level of surplus places. The focus of all our policies is raising educational standards. In planning school provision, local education authorities should look for opportunities for removing surplus capacity, with a view to bringing supply and demand for school places into better balance. Their initial focus should be on those schools with 25 per cent. or more of their places unfilled, having particular regard to standards at those schools. The overall aim should be to maximise parental preference and to provide good quality education in the most cost-effective way. The Department's annual survey of surplus places allows us to monitor how local education authorities are meeting this challenge.

TREASURY

Retirement

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of (a) private sector employees and (b) all employees are due to retire in the next (i) five, (ii) 10 and (iii) 15 years.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Frank Field, dated 25 October 2001
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your question about the proportion of private sector employees and of all employees who are due to retire within the next 5, 10 and 15 years (10459).
	The Labour Force Survey (LFS) can provide estimates of the numbers and proportions of private sector employees, and those of all employees, who are due to reach state retirement age in the next 5, 10 and 15 years. That is, men aged 60–64, 55–64 and 50–64 and women aged 55–59, 50–59 and 45–59 respectively. These are given in the tables below.
	The LFS does not collect information on the retirement intentions of individuals.
	
		Table 1: Proportion of private sector employees of working age(24) reaching state retirement age in the next five, 10 and 15 years; United Kingdom; spring (March to May) 2001; not seasonally adjusted
		
			  Thousand Percentage 
		
		
			  All persons—due to retire in the next: 
			 Five years 886 5.0 
			 10 years 2,330 13.1 
			 15 years 4,093 23.1 
			
			 Men—due to retire in the next:   
			 Five years 378 3.6 
			 10 years 1,081 10.4 
			 15 years 2,106 20.2 
			
			 Women—due to retire in the next:   
			 Five years 508 6.9 
			 10 years 1,249 17.1 
			 15 years 1,988 27.2 
		
	
	(24) Men aged 16–64 and women aged 16–59
	Note:
	Percentages are based on the number of private sector employees in the relevant age group as a percentage of all employees in the private sector
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey
	
		Table 2: Proportion of all employees of working age(25) reaching state retirement age in the next five, 10 and 15 years; United Kingdom; spring (March to May) 2001; not seasonally adjusted
		
			  Thousand Percentage 
		
		
			  All persons—due to retire in the next: 
			 Five years 1,353 5.6 
			 10 years 3,587 14.9 
			 15 years 6,273 26.1 
			
			 Men—due to retire in the next:   
			 Five years 490 3.8 
			 10 years 1,404 10.9 
			 15 years 2,756 21.5 
			 Women—due to retire in the next:   
			 Five years 864 7.7 
			 10 years 2,183 19.5 
			 15 years 3,517 31.4 
		
	
	(25) Men aged 16–64 and women aged 16–59
	Note:
	Percentages are based on the number of employees in the relevant age group as a percentage of all employees
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey

Community Sports Clubs

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to HM Treasury of giving charitable status to community sports clubs.

Paul Boateng: No such estimate has been made.

Private Finance Initiative

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library the terms of reference of the Mott MacDonald study of PFI; when he expects it to reach its conclusions; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Smith: The study is intended to assess the scale of cost and time overruns and benefit shortfalls in major public sector procurement over a 20-year period. Projects in the defence, energy, health, IT, prisons and transport sectors are being examined, together with a few other projects of outstanding importance. No date has yet been set for the concluding report of the study because the second phase of work has not yet been agreed.

VAT Payers

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many taxable persons were registered for VAT in each of the financial years since the introduction of VAT in 1972 (a) in total and (b) broken down into (i) individuals and (ii) companies.

Paul Boateng: Where available, information on the numbers of VAT-registered traders in the UK since 1972 has been published in Customs' annual departmental reports.

Customs' Estate

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the current estimate is of (a) the completion date and (b) the final cost of the (i) Southampton Rationalisation, (ii) Dorset House and (iii) Glasgow Estates projects.

Paul Boateng: Where available, information on projects undertaken in relation to Customs' estate will be published in the Department's spring report.

Smuggling

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many smugglers' vehicles were (a) seized and (b) restored to their owners by HM Customs and Excise in (i) 2000–01 and (ii) 2001–02 to the latest date for which information is available.

Paul Boateng: Figures for the number of vehicles seized by Customs during 2000–01 are contained in the Government's response to the independent report by John Roques into "The Collection of Excise Duties in HM Customs and Excise", House of Commons, Command 5329, July 2001, a copy of which was placed in the Library on 19 July. Information on the number of vehicles which were restored is not available. The number of vehicles Customs seize from smugglers during 2001–02 will be published on a full financial year basis during 2002–03.

Partnerships UK

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage stake in Partnerships UK has been sold to private investors; and how much has been raised by the sale of shares to date.

Andrew Smith: HM Treasury sold a 51 per cent. shareholding in PUK plc to private sector investors, following an offer for sale issued on 26 February 2001. A further 4.4 per cent. was legally transferred to the Scottish Ministers on 23 April.
	A total of £45 million was raised by the transaction for Partnerships UK. Of this amount £24,949,998 was raised by the sale to the private sector and Scottish Ministers. The remainder represents the Treasury's investment in Partnerships UK.

Landfill Tax Credit Scheme

Bob Russell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the HM Treasury review of the landfill tax credit scheme will be completed; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: The Government are committed to meeting the challenging targets for waste recycling set out in Waste Strategy 2000. As stated in Budget 2001, we are attracted to replacing all or part of the landfill tax credit scheme with a public spending programme to direct resources towards Government priorities on sustainable waste management. The Government, together with the devolved Administrations, are beginning work on developing options for a spending programme for consideration as part of the spending review 2002. In taking forward this work, the Government will consult with interested parties on the shape of any replacement scheme and the transition to any replacement.

Working Families Tax Credit

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps are taken to ensure that parents do not enrol their children in nursery on a temporary basis in order to claim working families tax credit.

Dawn Primarolo: Applicants for the working families tax credit provide confirmation from child care providers of the charges they have agreed with parents and that the service they provide is eligible for support through the child care tax credit.
	Applications may be selected for further inquiry on the basis of a risk assessment. Specialist staff may inquire formally into applications identified as requiring investigation.

Tax Revenue (Football)

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate how much tax revenue was generated from football in the last 12 months.

Dawn Primarolo: Estimates are not available of the tax revenue from football.

Railtrack

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when his Department was involved in the discussions between Railtrack and the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions after 1 July on Project Rainbow and related matters.

Andrew Smith: Treasury officials are in contact on a daily basis with a wide variety of organisations, both inside and outside government, concerning a wide range of issues.

Brownfield Sites

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the uptake has been of the advance payable tax credit for clearing and developing brownfield sites; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him by the Economic Secretary on 25 October 2001, Official Report, column 375W.

Manufacturing

Robert Key: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the impact of business tax and regulation upon the profitability of British manufacturing;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the effects of business tax and regulation upon the competitiveness of manufacturing.

Paul Boateng: Successive Budgets have set out new measures as part of the Government's clear strategy to boost competition, productivity, enterprise and innovation, skills, investment and encourage economic growth across all regions. The Government seek to make Britain the most competitive environment for business in the world.
	The Government are committed to tackling regulatory burdens and supporting business. Lord Haskins' better regulation task force has been established to advise the Government on regulatory issues. The new Regulatory Reform Act 2001 will also play a vital role in the drive to reform over-burdensome legislation. Under this Act, over 50 potential reforms have been identified, with nine measures out to consultation and one potential regulatory reform order already laid. The panel for regulatory accountability calls departmental regulatory reform Ministers to account for their Department's regulatory performance. The Government are also committed to publishing regulatory impact assessments for all new measures having an impact on business.

Correspondence

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Northavon of 9 August regarding a lorry belonging to Westfield International Transport seized by HM Customs; and if he will ensure that the lorry is released as soon as possible.

Paul Boateng: I have already replied to the hon. Member.

Climate Change Levy

Robert Key: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage share of (a) UK gross domestic product and (b) the total to be raised by the climate change levy, the UK engineering industry will contribute in the next financial year.

Paul Boateng: On the most recently available figures, engineering represents an estimated 6 per cent. of gross domestic product.
	The impact of CCL on any sector will be determined by a number of factors, including:
	The future energy consumption of firms in the sector and the use they make of levy funded energy efficiency support.
	Employment levels in those sectors and the benefits received from the levy funded national insurance contribution cuts.
	The number of energy intensive firms in that sector that are eligible to receive a discount on the main rates of the levy by signing up to an energy efficiency agreement.
	What use firms in that sector make of electricity generated from levy exempt 'new' renewable sources of energy and combined heat and power.

Climate Change Levy

Robert Key: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessments he has made of the costs of the climate change levy to British industry.

Paul Boateng: The climate change levy will raise an estimated £1 billion a year, all of which will be recycled back to business through cuts in employers' national insurance contributions and support for energy efficiency. While the levy is broadly revenue neutral across manufacturing and service sectors, it is not possible to say exactly what effect the levy will have on any specific sector or industry. That will depend on a number of factors including:
	The future energy consumption of firms in the sector and the use they make of levy funded energy efficiency support.
	Employment levels in those sectors and the benefits received from the levy funded national insurance contribution cuts.
	The number of energy intensive firms in that sector that are eligible to receive a discount on the main rates of the levy by signing up to an energy efficiency agreement.
	What use firms in that sector make of electricity generated from levy exempt 'new' renewable sources of energy and combined heat and power.

Climate Change Levy

Robert Key: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue was raised from the engineering industry by the climate change levy in the first six months of its operation.

Paul Boateng: The climate change levy only became operational in April this year and the first payments are still being received by Customs and Excise. It is too early to assess its impact, but the levy is operating in the planned revenue neutral manner.
	The impact on any specific sector will depend on a number of factors including:
	The future energy consumption of firms in the sector and the use they make of levy funded energy efficiency support.
	Employment levels in those sectors and the benefits received from the levy funded national insurance contribution cuts.
	The number of energy intensive firms in that sector that are eligible to receive a discount on the main rates of the levy by signing up to an energy efficiency agreement.
	What use firms in that sector make of electricity generated from levy exempt 'new' renewable sources of energy and combined heat and power.

Aggregates Tax

Robert Key: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide an estimate of the revenues the Government will receive from the aggregates tax in the current financial year.

Paul Boateng: The aggregates levy will not be operational until April 2002. Therefore the Government will receive no revenue in the current financial year.

Aggregates Tax

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an estimate of the revenues the Government will receive from the aggregates tax in the next financial year.

Paul Boateng: An assessment of the revenues expected from the introduction of the aggregates levy was given in the Financial Statement and Budget report 2001. Forecast revenues will again be published in autumn's pre-Budget report. The revenues raised from the levy will be returned to business and local communities affected by quarrying through a 0.1 percentage point cut in employers' NICS and a new Sustainability Fund.

Aggregates Tax

Robert Key: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the impact of the aggregates tax upon the construction industry.

Paul Boateng: Budget 2000 announced that the Government had decided to introduce an aggregates levy with effect from April 2002. It will be charged at £1.60 per tonne on the commercial exploitation of primary aggregates in the UK, including those imported from abroad. Aggregates exported from the UK will be exempt.
	A full regulatory impact assessment was published at the time of Budget 2000.
	It is envisaged that a higher price of primary aggregate will provide an incentive to make better use of recycled aggregates and other alternatives, and more efficient use of primary aggregate. The impact on the actual costs to the end user will be dependent on the commercial decisions of those in the supply chain.

Minimum Wage

Colin Challen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in the Morley and Rothwell constituency are benefiting from the minimum wage.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Colin Challen, dated 30 October 2001
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question about the number of people in the Morley and Rothwell constituency who are benefiting from the national minimum wage (NMW). (10278)
	The Office for National Statistics has published estimates of the number of jobs paid at less than NMW rates for 1998, 1999, and 2000. These estimates are based on an improved methodology using data from the New Earning Survey (NES) and Labour Force Survey (LFS). This methodology provides the best estimates for the number of jobs in the UK paid below low hourly rate thresholds and was developed to overcome the deficiencies inherent in using the NES and LFS separately for measuring low pay.
	Estimates for the United Kingdom and Government Office Regions are posed on the National Statistics website at:
	www.statistics.gov.uk/nsbase/themes/labour–market/nmw– lowpay–tables.asp
	Estimates for Parliamentary Constituencies of numbers of jobs paid below NMW rates are not available on the basis of the methodology applied for producing the national and regional level figures.

Minimum Wage

Tom Cox: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many people employed in the agricultural sector have benefited from the introduction of the national minimum wage;
	(2)  how many (a) men and (b) women are paid the national minimum wage in the UK.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 30 October 2001
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent questions about the number of people in the agriculture sector who have benefited from the introduction of the national minimum wage (NMW) and the number of men and women who are paid the NMW in the UK. I am replying in his absence. (10276, 10946)
	The latest available information is for spring 2000. At that time the NMW for people aged 22 or over was £3.60 per hour. Estimates based on the New Earnings Survey and Labour Force Survey show that in spring 2000 there were 150,000 men and 440,000 women aged 22 or over earning between £3.60 and £3.70 per hour.
	The estimates requested for the agriculture sector are not available as the sample size is too small for these to be reliable.

Manufacturing Sector Redundancies

Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many redundancies there were in the manufacturing sector in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) the UK as a whole in each year since 1997.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell to Adam Price, dated 30 October 2001
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about redundancies in the manufacturing sector in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom. I am replying in his absence. (11422)
	The Labour Force Survey (LFS) can provide estimates of the numbers of people who have been made redundant from a job in the manufacturing sector in the United Kingdom as a whole. However, the sample size is too small to provide reliable estimates for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
	The LFS estimates of the numbers of redundancies in the manufacturing sector in the United Kingdom for each summer (June to August) quarter from 1997 to 2001 are given in the table.
	
		Redundancies in the manufacturing sector(26): United Kingdom  -- Not seasonally adjusted
		
			  Thousand  
			 Summer (June to August) Number 
		
		
			 1997 49 
			 1998 57 
			 1999 64 
			 2000 50 
			 2001 70 
		
	
	(26) The number of people who were made redundant from a job in the manufacturing sector in the same calendar month as, or the two calendar months prior to, the reference week.
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey

GDP

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of gross domestic product was generated by the (a) manufacturing sector and (b) service sector in each of the last five years.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Lindsay Hoyle, dated 30 October 2001
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your question on the percentage of gross domestic product generated by the manufacturing and service sectors in each of the last five years (10088).
	Information on the contribution of individual industries is not available. However, it is possible to analyse gross value added (GVA) at basic prices by industry. GVA is similar in concept to gross domestic product, differing only in adjustments for taxes and subsidies on products.
	The following table shows the percentage of GVA generated by manufacturing and services.
	
		Manufacturing and service contribution to Gross Value Added: 1996 to 2000
		
			   Percentage  
			 Calendar Year Manufacturing Services 
		
		
			 1996 21.5 66.4 
			 1997 21.1 67.6 
			 1998 20.1 69.3 
			 1999 19.2 70.3 
			 2000 18.7 70.2 
		
	
	Source:
	Table 2.3 United Kingdom National Accounts 2001 edition

GDP

Charles Hendry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list, in descending order, the GDP per head of each (a) county council, (b) unitary and (c) metropolitan area by (i) actual amount and (ii) percentage of the area with the highest GDP in the last year for which figures are available.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from John Kidgell to Mr. Charles Hendry, dated 30 October 2001
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question on local area estimates of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per head (10789). I am replying in his absence.
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) does not produce estimates of GDP per head for the geographical breakdown requested. Instead, estimates are produced by Nomenclature of Units for Territorial Statistics (NUTS) areas. There are five levels of NUTS in the UK and GDP estimates are produced for the first three. NUTS level 3 is the geography that is most closely aligned to county councils, unitary authority and metropolitan areas and is also the lowest geographical level that data are available.
	GDP is a workplace measure of economic activity in a given area regardless of whether the persons engaged in the activity live in that area. GDP per head is calculated by using the resident population in the area. In the absence of another indicator this has been used as a measure of well being at the sub-regional and local area level. However, a better measure would be household income per head as this would be a truly residence based measure. This is not currently available but the ONS is planning to produce estimates of household disposable income for sub-region and local area in early 2002.
	Estimates of GDP per head and GDP per head as a proportion of the NUTS level 3 area with the highest GDP per head (Inner London-West) are shown in the following table. The GDP per head for Inner London - West is much larger than any other area due to the high amount of commerce in the area and a fairly small resident population in comparison, which makes proportionate comparisons on this basis more difficult. For this reason, I have additionally provided a third column, showing the same data on our more usual basis of comparison, GDP per head expressed as a ratio to the UK average. Some NUTS level 3 areas correspond exactly to county council boundaries and these are marked with the letters cc.
	
		Gross domestic product (GDP) per head by NUTS level 3 area at current basic prices 1998(27),(28),(29)
		
			  £ million Inner London: West = 100 UK = 100 
		
		
			 Inner London: West 57,281 100 456 
			 Berkshire 19,008 33 151 
			 Edinburgh, City of 18,417 32 147 
			 Swindon 18,129 32 144 
			 Portsmouth 18,012 31 144 
			 Milton Keynes 17,557 31 140 
			 Nottingham 17,373 30 138 
			 Belfast 17,159 30 137 
			 Peterborough 17,158 30 137 
			 Glasgow City 16,495 29 131 
			 Surrey 15,945 28 127 
			 Cambridgeshire cc 15,783 28 126 
			 Inner London: East 15,496 27 123 
			 Bristol, City of 15,472 27 123 
			 Shetland Islands 15,107 26 120 
			 Telford and Wrekin 14,843 26 118 
			 Southampton 14,675 26 117 
			 Halton and Warrington 14,660 26 117 
			 Derby 14,629 26 117 
			 Luton 14,400 25 115 
			 York 14,305 25 114 
			 Cheshire cc 14,172 25 113 
			 Outer London: West and North West 14,045 25 112 
			 Oxfordshire 13,983 24 111 
			 Leicester 13,973 24 111 
			 Buckinghamshire cc 13,813 24 110 
			 Hertfordshire 13,717 24 109 
			 West Sussex 13,622 24 109 
			 North and North East Lincolnshire 13,402 23 107 
			 Northamptonshire 13,369 23 107 
			 Leeds 13,322 23 106 
			 Warwickshire 13,288 23 106 
			 Greater Manchester South 13,204 23 105 
			 Hampshire cc 13,173 23 105 
			 Suffolk 13,143 23 105 
			 Thurrock 13,055 23 104 
			 Gloucestershire 12,772 22 102 
			 Solihull 12,757 22 102 
			 Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan 12,714 22 101 
			 Birmingham 12,456 22 99 
			 Monmouthshire and Newport 12,424 22 99 
			 Flintshire and Wrexham 12,404 22 99 
			 Falkirk 12,227 21 97 
			 East Cumbria 12,217 21 97 
			 Perth and Kinross and Stirling 12,203 21 97 
			 Leicestershire cc and Rutland 12,139 21 97 
			 Bournemouth and Poole 12,078 21 96 
			 Coventry 12,013 21 96 
			 South Ayrshire 11,934 21 95 
			 Bedfordshire cc 11,874 21 95 
			 Kingston Upon Hull, City of 11,850 21 94 
			 Norfolk 11,825 21 94 
			 Kent cc 11,800 21 94 
			 North and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire 11,730 20 93 
			 Wiltshire cc 11,708 20 93 
			 West Lothian 11,683 20 93 
			 Essex cc 11,640 20 93 
			 Worcestershire 11,467 20 91 
			 Plymouth 11,437 20 91 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 11,420 20 91 
			 Angus and Dundee City 11,387 20 91 
			 Darlington 11,254 20 90 
			 Sheffield 11,171 20 89 
			 North Yorkshire cc 11,085 19 88 
			 Dumfries and Galloway 11,063 19 88 
			 Southend-on-Sea 11,016 19 88 
			 Herefordshire, County of 11,011 19 88 
			 Liverpool 10,886 19 87 
			 Somerset 10,877 19 87 
			 Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees 10,872 19 87 
			 Lincolnshire(30) 10,751 19 86 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 10,738 19 86 
			 Medway 10,639 19 85 
			 West Cumbria 10,556 18 84 
			 Inverclyde, East Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire 10,510 18 84 
			 Tyneside 10,469 18 83 
			 Dudley and Sandwell 10,428 18 83 
			 Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield 10,423 18 83 
			 South and West Derbyshire 10,404 18 83 
			 Outer London: South 10,358 18 83 
			 Bradford 10,339 18 82 
			 South Teeside 10,299 18 82 
			 Clackmannanshire and Fife 10,275 18 82 
			 Shropshire cc 10,231 18 82 
			 Brighton and Hove 10,206 18 81 
			 Walsall and Wolverhampton 10,191 18 81 
			 North Nottinghamshire 10,176 18 81 
			 Staffordshire cc 10,176 18 81 
			 Lancashire cc 10,173 18 81 
			 Powys 10,144 18 81 
			 Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot 10,121 18 81 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 10,051 18 80 
			 Dorset cc 10,016 17 80 
			 Scottish Borders 9,974 17 79 
			 Swansea 9,943 17 79 
			 Gwynedd 9,876 17 79 
			 Orkney Islands 9,799 17 78 
			 Devon cc 9,636 17 77 
			 North Lanarkshire 9,573 17 76 
			 Eilean Siar (Western Isles) 9,555 17 76 
			 South Lanarkshire 9,544 17 76 
			 Inverness and Nairn and Moray, Badenoch and Strathspey 9,456 17 75 
			 Sunderland 9,209 16 73 
			 Blackpool 8,899 16 71 
			 Northumberland 8,818 15 70 
			 East Derbyshire 8,802 15 70 
			 Torbay 8,655 15 69 
			 Greater Manchester North 8,636 15 69 
			 Lochaber, Skye and Lochalsh and Argyll and the Islands 8,630 15 69 
			 North of Northern Ireland 8,502 15 68 
			 East and West Dunbartonshire, Helensburgh and Lomond 8,489 15 68 
			 Caithness and Sutherland and Ross and Cromarty 8,467 15 67 
			 South Nottinghamshire 8,448 15 67 
			 Central Valleys 8,422 15 67 
			 Isle of Wight 8,397 15 67 
			 East of Northern Ireland 8,351 15 67 
			 Conwy and Denbighshire 8,295 14 66 
			 Outer Belfast 8,282 14 66 
			 East Merseyside 8,270 14 66 
			 South West Wales 8,258 14 66 
			 Durham cc 8,199 14 65 
			 East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire Mainland 8,191 14 65 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly(30) 8,185 14 65 
			 Isle of Anglesey 8,047 14 64 
			 Outer London: East and North East 8,017 14 64 
			 Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham 7,992 14 64 
			 Gwent Valleys 7,981 14 64 
			 West and South of Northern Ireland 7,862 14 63 
			 West and South of Northern Ireland 7,862 14 63 
			 East Sussex cc 7,847 14 63 
			 Wirral 7,525 13 60 
			 East Lothian and Midlothian 7,503 13 60 
			 Sefton 7,313 13 58 
			 United Kingdom(31) 12,548 22 100 
		
	
	(27) Estimates are provisional
	(28) Includes taxes less subsidies on production
	(29) Components may not sum to totals due to rounding
	(30) This area is represented at more than one NUTS level
	(31) Excluding GDP for Extra-region, which comprises compensation of employees and gross operating surplus which cannot be assigned to regions
	Source:
	Regional Accounts, Office for National Statistics

Manufacturing and Service Sectors

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the population was employed in the (a) manufacturing sector and (b) service sector for each of the last five years.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply. Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Lindsay Hoyle, dated 30 October 2001:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question about the proportion of the population employed in (a) the manufacturing sector and (b) the service sector for each of the last five years (10086).
	The table below shows the number of workforce jobs in the manufacturing and service sectors in June for each year from 1997 to 2001.
	
		UK workforce jobs by industry
		
			  Manufacturing Services Other industries(32)  
			  Section D of SIC (92) Sections G-Q of SIC(92)  
			 As at June (seasonally adjusted) Numbers (000s) Percentage of workforce Number (000s) Percentage of workforce Number (000s) Percentage of workforce 
		
		
			 1997 4,495 15.9 21,123 74.9 2,576 9.1 
			 1998 4,525 15.8 21,433 75.0 2,605 9.1 
			 1999 4,347 15.1 21,972 76.1 2,551 8.8 
			 2000 4,218 14.5 22,267 76.6 2,579 8.9 
			 2001 4,079 14.0 22,558 77.2 2,592 8.9 
		
	
	(32) 'Other industries' include agriculture, fishing, mining and quarrying, utilities and construction (sections A, B, C, E and F of SIC(92)).
	These estimates are based on the results of regular sample surveys of employers which count the number of employee jobs. Data on self-employment are obtained from the Labour Force Survey. An individual with two jobs would count twice in these figures: in order to avoid double-counting, the percentages are related to total workforce jobs rather than the UK population.

Job Losses

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many jobs were lost in the (a) tourism, (b) agriculture, (c) fishing and (d) defence-related industries in Devon and Cornwall in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Adrian Sanders, dated 30 October 2001
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question about the number of jobs that were lost in tourism, agriculture, fishing and defence related industries in Devon and Cornwall in the last 12 months. I am replying in his absence. (10395)
	Information is not available for job losses.

Census

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what national allowance he will make for unreturned census forms; and how this allowance will be calculated;
	(2)  if he will list Government and non-government departments that depend on census information for the distribution of Government funds.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, dated October 2001
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent questions concerning the government departments and non- government departments that depend on Census information for the distribution of government funds and what national allowance will be made for unreturned Census forms; and how this allowance will be calculated. I am replying in his absence. (11144,11145)
	In answer to the first question, extensive consultation was carried out among government departments, public authorities and private sector organisations on the needs and requirements for information to be collected from the 2001 Census. The purposes for which information from each census question is required were set out in the Government's White paper The 2001 Census of Population (Cm 4253), published in March 1999.
	The Government needs information that must be authoritative, accurate and comparable for all parts of the country in order to form policy, to plan services for specific groups of people and, in particular, to distribute resources effectively to local and health authorities to enable them to direct resources to where they are needed.
	Those Government Departments that primarily depend on census information for the purposes of the distribution of public funds include the Departments for Health; Work and Pensions; Education and Skills; Transport, Local Government and the Regions; the Home Office; and the National Assembly for Wales.
	Extensive use is also made of census information by each local government authority and health authority in the distribution of funds and resources at the more local area level.
	With regard to the second question, the extent and nature of any under-enumeration in the 2001 Census will be more accurately assessed than in any previous census by the extensive, separate, follow-up Census Coverage Survey carried out by interviewing around 300,000 households shortly after the Census enumeration was completed.
	Once the interview responses and all the Census returns have been analysed, we will have a definitive picture of how well we have done at both the national and local authority area level. Information from the Census Coverage Survey will thus enable the extent of any under-coverage to be assessed and the characteristics of the population missed in the Census to be estimated. This information will be used to supplement the counts from the Census itself to provide a more complete base of the population for statistical purposes.

Census

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the reasons for changes in the percentage of households that failed to return Census forms in the last 10 years.

Ruth Kelly: The information falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, dated 30 October 2001
	The National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales has been asked to reply to your recent question on what assessment has been made for the reasons for changes in the percentage of households that failed to return Census forms in the last 10 years (11143). I am replying in his absence.
	Evidence from the 2001 Census does not yet give a clear indication of the percentage of households that failed to make a return. Early indications suggest that the overall level of response should be at least as good as that to the 1991 Census.
	The extent and nature of any under-enumeration will be more accurately assessed than ever before by the extensive and separate follow-up Census Coverage Survey carried out by interviewing around 300,000 households shortly after the Census enumeration was complete.
	Results form the Census Coverage Survey will be used together with information from the Census itself, to provide the best estimate of the extent of any under-enumeration in the Census and the characteristics of the population missed.

Commercial Banks

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will investigate the role of collections units of the commercial banks, with particular reference to their policies towards pensioners and those soon to become pensioners.

Ruth Kelly: The Banking Code sets standards of banking practice for banks and building societies when they are dealing with all personal customers, including pensioners. The Chancellor set up the independent Banking Services Consumer Codes Review Group last year. As part of its work the group examined how banks treat individuals in financial difficulties. The group reported in May 2001 and recommended revisions to the Code to ensure consumers in financial difficulty are dealt with appropriately. The financial services industry is already taking forward work to revise this part of the Code.
	Debt collecting is also a licensable activity under the Consumer Credit Act 1974. The licensing system is administered by the Director General of Fair Trading who has the power to revoke a licence if he believes that a business is not fit to engage in the activities covered by it. In reaching his decision, he will take account of any business practices which appear to him to be deceitful or oppressive, or otherwise unfair or improper.

Exchange Rate Policy

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his exchange rate policy.

Ruth Kelly: The Government do not have a target for sterling, but a stable and competitive rate is sought over the medium term, consistent with the objective of price stability. The way to ensure long-term exchange rate stability is through the pursuit of sound macroeconomic policies aimed at achieving sustained growth and low inflation.

Motoring

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to ensure that taxes on motor fuel cover the congestion and environmental costs of motoring.

Paul Boateng: The Government's approach to environmental taxation was set out in their Statement of Intent on environmental taxation in the July 1997 Budget and restated in the November 1999 pre-Budget report, when the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that decisions on future changes in fuel duty would be taken in the light of environmental, social and economic factors.

EC Finance

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to Article 9 of the Council Decision on the system of the European Communities' own resources on 29 September 2000, what his interpretation of the word autonomous is in the phrase "new autonomous own resources"; and if he will outline the measures which will be considered as new autonomous own resources.

Ruth Kelly: Article 9 of the Council Decision, of 29 September 2000, on the system of the European Communities' own resources replaces Article 10 of the Decision of 28 October 1994. Like the Article it replaces, this simply allows the European Commission to undertake a review of their own resources system and to put forward proposals for modifying the system if necessary. What modifications the European Commission will choose to consider at the time is, of course, a matter for them. However, it will remain the case that any proposals for modifying the system of own resources which they decide to put forward would then have to be considered, and agreed, by all member states unanimously.

Euro

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what work his Department has undertaken to assess progress on meeting his five economic tests; which independent economists have been invited to contribute to the assessment; how many officials are involved; and when the assessment will be (a) completed and (b) published.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 25 October 2001, Official Report, columns 372–73W.

Euro

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish assessments made by the Treasury since 1997 of the economic consequences of UK membership of the euro.

Ruth Kelly: The Government have said that they will complete an assessment of the five economic tests within two years of the start of this Parliament.

Euro

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the reasons for the United Kingdom not joining the euro.

Ruth Kelly: The Government's policy on membership of the single currency remains as set out by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in October 1997. The determining factor underpinning any Government decision on membership of the single currency is the national economic interest and whether the economic case for joining is clear and unambiguous.

Euro

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is his policy to publish an assessment of the consequences for UK fiscal policy of (a) joining and (b) preparing to join the euro, in advance of a referendum on British membership of the euro.

Ruth Kelly: The Government have said that they will complete another assessment of the five tests within two years of the start of this Parliament.

Bank of England/FSA Joint Committee

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Joint Treasury/Bank of England/FSA Standing Committee met in 2001; who the Treasury representative on the Committee was; what the titles are of the papers submitted by the Treasury representative; and if he will make a statement on the present work and future programme of the Joint Committee.

Ruth Kelly: HM Treasury, the Bank of England and the FSA meet approximately once a month under the aegis of the UK Standing Committee on Financial Stability. The meetings are chaired by the Treasury's Managing Director, Financial Regulation and Industry. Much of the Committee's work is confidential, and discussions are often subject to statutory protections of information under the acts that govern financial regulation.

Financial Stability

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Financial Stability Forum met in 2001; who were the Treasury representatives; what issues were raised at the forum; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Financial Stability Forum met this year in London on 6–7 September and in Washington, D.C. on 22–23 March. The Treasury's Forum member is the Managing Director, Financial Regulation and Industry. Information on these meetings can be found at the Forum's website at http://www.fsforum.org/Press/ P20010323.html

Liberalisation of Trade in Services Committee

Colin Challen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the Liberalisation of Trade in Services Committee in the last 12 months.

Ruth Kelly: I refer to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 26 October 2001, Official Report, column 417W.

Electronic Communications

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made towards delivering all of his Department's services electronically by 2005; and what services are provided online by HM Treasury and its executive agencies.

Ruth Kelly: Services currently provided online by the Treasury are: the provision of information and publications via the Internet, correspondence with Treasury Ministers, and responding to public inquiries via email.
	The Office of Government Commerce (OGC), which is an office of the Treasury, publishes information and best practice guidance on its website, and through OGCbuying.solutions provides electronic catalogues for the procurement of goods and services by Government Departments, their Agencies and NDPBs. The catalogues are available to the wider public sector. OGC also facilitates the use of the Government Procurement Card across all Government bodies.
	The Debt Management Office (DMO), an agency of the Treasury, publishes data on gilts, treasury bills and other information including all its publications on its website.
	Future developments will include the extension of electronic publishing and the introduction of e-tendering.
	Of the services provided by the Treasury, OGC and the DMO, 70 per cent. are now online. This will rise to 90 per cent. by the end of 2002, and 100 per cent. by 2005.

Productivity Gap

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the latest trends in the productivity gap in terms of GDP per worker between the UK and the US.

Ruth Kelly: The Government make regular assessments of trends in productivity. The most recent assessment was given in Budget 2001. The Government set out a further statement of policy in "Productivity in the UK: Enterprise and the Productivity Challenge", published in June 2001. An updated assessment will be given in the pre-budget report 2001.

Savings Ratio

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the UK's savings ratio on the imbalances in the UK economy between consumption spending and internationally exposed sectors.

Ruth Kelly: The Government publish assessments of UK economic developments and prospects as part of its pre-Budget and Budget reports.

Growth Competitiveness Index

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the reasons for Britain's changed position between 2000 and 2001 in the growth competitiveness index published by the World Economic Forum.

Ruth Kelly: The Government make regular assessments of UK productivity and competitiveness, drawing on a wide range of indicators. For example, the Department of Trade and Industry has a Service Delivery Agreement to publish regularly a comprehensive set of Competitiveness Indicators for the UK, designed to monitor progress in closing the productivity gap.

Pension Policies

Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his written answer of 23 October 2001, Official Report, column 203W, on pensions policies, if he has asked Lord Penrose to investigate.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Christchurch (Mr. Chope) on 15 October 2001, Official Report, column 851W.

Labour Force Survey

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the latest trends in Labour Force Survey unemployment; and how he expects these trends to develop in the next two quarters.

Ruth Kelly: This year the ILO unemployment rate, as measured by the Labour Force Survey, has been at its lowest since the 1970s. While the Government are conscious of the fact that no country can insulate itself from world economic events, our new macroeconomic framework has delivered low inflation and sound public finances, leaving the UK better placed than in the past to cope with global developments, following the tragic events in America.

Income Statistics

Howard Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a breakdown of the percentage real terms increase in disposable income for the lowest earning quintile in each year since 1992.

Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is not available.

Departmental Budgets

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the amount by which budgets were over or under spent in each financial year since May 1997 in the (a) Department for Education and Employment, (b) Department of Health and (c) Ministry of Defence.

Andrew Smith: The table sets out the cash underspends against final Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL) provision for the Departments requested. Provisional figures for 2000–01 were published in the July 2001 Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper (Cm 5243), and are subject to revision on production of the Appropriation Accounts. Since 1998–99 Departments have been allowed to carry forward any DEL budget provision which is not spent in one year into the following year. (More limited end year flexibility applied before this date). This means that underspends are available to Departments to spend in later years.
	
		Underspend against Departmental Expenditure Limits
		
			£ million  
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–100 
		
		
			 Department for Education and Employment 359 659 828 
			 Department of Health 169 285 177 
			 Ministry of Defence 225 74 318

Departmental Budgets

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a breakdown of budget underspend so far in the current financial year in (a) the Department of Health, (b) the Department for Education and Skills and (c) the Ministry of Defence. [R]

Andrew Smith: There is no in-year target for the profile of departmental spending. Outturn against six-month forecast for each Request for Resources will be published in Winter Supplementary Estimates as usual.

WORK AND PENSIONS

State Earnings-Related Pension Scheme

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter from his Department to those people who will be unaffected by the changes in inherited SERPS, but have reached state pension age since the first letter was issued, and to those who will reach state pension age by 5 October 2002; and when he expects to issue a further letter to those people who will be affected by the reduction in SERPS on the sliding scale.

Ian McCartney: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 July 2001, Official Report, column 685W. A copy of the letter from the Department to those people who will be unaffected by the changes in inherited SERPS but have reached state pension age since the first letter was issued, and those who will reach state pension age by 5 October 2002, has now been placed in the Library.
	A further letter will be issued to those people who will be affected by the reduction in SERPS on the sliding scale in the first part of next year—2002.

Benefit Repayments

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what powers exist to recover benefits paid to those ineligible to receive such benefits by reason of (a) fraud and (b) mistake.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 16 October 2001
	Where an overpayment has arisen as a result of a claimant's misrepresentation or failure to disclose a change of circumstances, section 71 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 allows recovery of that overpayment. This covers most of the overpayments we seek to recover. However, there are also other regulations permitting recovery of overpayments, for example, where means-tested benefits are overpaid due to the late payment of income or other benefits.
	The Department's policy is to obtain recovery of the sum overpaid as quickly as possible, and by the most cost-effective method, without causing hardship.
	Where the person overpaid receives benefit, deductions can be made from future payments of that benefit. The Social Security (Payments on Account, Overpayments and Recovery) Regulations 1998 place restrictions on those deductions, including limits on the amount which can be deducted from certain benefits. The regulations allow higher rates of recovery to be made in cases of fraud.
	For those not in receipt of benefit, voluntary arrangements are sought in the first instance. Where voluntary arrangements are unsuccessful or break down, civil proceedings will be considered.

National Insurance

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of United Kingdom citizens have a National Insurance number.

Malcolm Wicks: The vast majority of the approximate 48 million UK adult population have a National Insurance number (NINO).

Child Poverty

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures the Government will take to prevent an increase in the level of child poverty in areas not subject to Government targets.

Malcolm Wicks: Details of the progress we are making in tackling child poverty can be found in our third annual report on poverty and social exclusion, "Opportunity for all—Making progress" (Cm. 5260), published on 19 September.

Jobcentre Plus

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what reason was given to him by the Social Security Advisory Committee for its decision not to enforce the Social Security (Jobcentre Plus Interviews) Regulations 2001; what discussions he had with SSAC prior to that decision; and if he will publish the minutes of such discussions.

Nick Brown: The Social Security Advisory Committee is not responsible for enforcing regulations.

Disability Living Allowance

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what further assistance the Government plan to give to those who cannot work owing to disability, health problems, caring duties and difficulties with child care or transport.

Nick Brown: The Government believe that all those who are unable to work, for whatever reason, should have the opportunity to play as full a part in the community as possible. In "Towards Inclusion", our response to the Disability Rights Task Force, we set out proposals for improving disabled people's lives—whether or not they can work—in areas including education, transport, health and social services. Taken together, these measures will create a much fairer and inclusive society for disabled people.
	From April 2001, we introduced a package of changes, providing extra help for disabled people in greatest need. For severely disabled people who cannot work and are receiving Income Support, the Disability Income Guarantee ensures an income of at least £142 a week for a single person aged 25 or over and £186.80 for a couple. It also benefits families on low incomes who are caring for a severely disabled child. In addition, from last April, we increased the disabled child premium in income- related benefits to £30 a week—substantially more than the normal uprating.
	Sick or disabled young people who have never been able to work and pay National Insurance contributions will in future be able to receive a higher level of support from access to Incapacity Benefit. Those aged under 20 on 6 April 2001 and receiving Severe Disablement Allowance will transfer to the long-term rate of Incapacity Benefit from April 2002, providing an increase of £27.60 a week at current rates.
	We are also introducing changes to the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979, by means of a Regulatory Reform Order, to extend significantly the time limit for making a claim, and to reduce the level of disability necessary for a claim to succeed. Those severely disabled people whose claims were previously disallowed for being over the current time limit and under the disability threshold will be able to make a fresh claim.
	On 28 February 2001 my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health announced that a National Service Framework would be developed for long-term conditions, and that this would have a particular focus on the needs of people disabled by neurological disease and brain and spinal injuries.
	Last year, the Government announced a package of measures to enhance the current social security provision for carers, worth more than £500 million over a three-year period. From April 2001, we increased the carer premium in the income-related benefits by £10 a week above the normal uprating. We also helped those carers who can undertake some work, by increasing the earnings limit in Invalid Care Allowance from £50 to £72 a week: in future the carers' earnings limit will be increased in line with the lower earnings level for National Insurance contributions. We plan to amend the law, by means of a Regulatory Reform Order, to allow people aged 65 and over to claim Invalid Care Allowance, and to extend entitlement for up to eight weeks after the death of the person being cared for.
	For those who may have difficulties with child care, the Government have already introduced a new child care tax credit in Working Families Tax Credit, and will continue to help working families meet the costs of child care.
	The Government are committed to providing an accessible public transport system in which disabled people will have the same opportunities to travel as everyone else. Accessibility regulations for new trains, buses and coaches have been introduced under Part V of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Similar regulations for taxis are planned. The 10-Year Transport Plan introduced a new commitment to ensuring that access for disabled people is a condition of all new public investment in transport.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Jim Cousins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what are the approved additional voluntary contribution providers under the Civil Service Pension Scheme; how many outstanding contracts there are with each provider; when these AVC providers were first selected; when that selection was reviewed; and what was the source of the professional advice as to that selection and renewal.

Christopher Leslie: The Equitable Life Assurance Society and the Scottish Widows' Fund and Life Assurance Society were appointed as AVC providers for the civil service by the Treasury in December 1988. Responsibility for the civil service additional voluntary contribution scheme transferred to the Cabinet Office on 1 April 1995 under the Transfer of Functions (Treasury and the Minister for the Civil Service) Order 1995, SI 1995/269. The continuing suitability of both providers for investment under the civil service AVC scheme is subject to regular review by the Cabinet Office taking account of expert professional advice. Bacon and Woodrow are the appointed civil service AVC scheme advisers to the Cabinet Office.
	Member of the civil service pension scheme are provided with a wide choice of AVC investments. Both providers offered a with-profits investment route; a deposit based fund; and unit linked investment through a wide range of investment funds. There are approximately 6,800 active contributing civil service AVC members with Equitable Life and 8,800 members with Scottish Widows.
	During 2001, a competitive selection process was carried out to identify a further AVC providers for the Civil Service. The Standard Life Assurance Company was selected. It will offer members investment in with-profits and through a wide choice of unit linked funds.

HEALTH

Mental Health

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to reform the Mental Health Act 1983; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: We published the White Paper "Reforming the Mental Health Act" in December 2000. The White Paper made clear our intention to reform mental health legislation and bring it into line with the contemporary patterns of care and treatment including the changes and new investment set out in the NHS Plan, and to improve the provisions for high risk offenders, including those who are dangerous and severely personality disordered.
	New legislation will be introduced as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

Mental Health

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase recruitment of mental health professionals in London.

Jacqui Smith: We are implementing a range of measures to improve recruitment and retention in the National Health Service for all staff, including in London. Examples include investing in fair pay, encouraging the NHS to become a better employer, increasing training commissions for all professional groups, providing additional funding to support those undertaking a return to practice programme, and supporting more effective, collaborative international recruitment where appropriate.
	For example, between April 2001 and the end of September 2001, 138 mental health and learning disabilities nurses returned to the NHS, 18 of these were in London.
	Furthermore, a workforce action team (WAT) was set up by Ministers to look at the workforce, education and training issues to support implementation of the National Service Framework (NSF) for mental health and the NHS Plan. Their final report was published in August and it has been warmly welcomed in the field as a practical and useful piece of work.
	Included in the WAT programme of work was a key area group looking at recruitment and retention issues. The Group made some 23 recommendations for action which the mental health care group workforce team, working in conjunction with the human resources directorate of the Department and the relevant professional bodies, will be considering as part of an implementation plan to take forward the work of the WAT.
	In conjunction with this work, the National Director of Mental Health has set up a specific working group to look at ways of improving recruitment and retention of psychiatrists. Representatives from within the Department, the Royal College of Psychiatry and others are contributing and investigating both long and short-term interventions.

Mental Health

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much money the Government have spent on the Mind Out for Mental Health campaign; and what steps have been taken;
	(2)  how many of those with a diagnosis of severe mental illness he estimates have found employment as a result of the Mind Out for Mental Health campaign.

Jacqui Smith: In the financial year 2000–01, the Department spent £573,000 on the mind out for mental health campaign. £900,000 is allocated to the campaign in the year 2001–02.
	The mind out for mental health campaign is a sustained programme of activity with partners in the voluntary sector, the media and business working together to change attitudes and behaviour surrounding mental health. Through such partnerships (both on a national and local level), and through high profile communications and events, mind out for mental health is reaching out to key audiences. For example, mind out for mental health is working with UK Youth, the Guides and the Scouts to develop an activity pack to help groups explore mental health issues. It is also working with journalist colleges in the development of training seminars and packs for student journalists. In addition, a stop the stigma information pack has been developed for individuals or local groups—a step by step guide to planning effective action to help change attitudes towards those with mental health problems. A copy of this action pack has been placed in the Library.
	"Working Minds" is the employer programme of mind out for mental health. This part of the campaign works in partnership with employers to create positive shifts in workplace attitudes and behaviour surrounding mental health. Its objectives are far greater than helping people with mental health problems to find employment; the programme seeks to bring about a fundamental, long-term change in employers' policy and practice so that people with mental health problems are able to participate fully in the workplace. Its success will be measured against this objective.

Mental Health

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the success of guardianship under section 7 of the Mental Health Act 1983; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: The results of the first stage of a multi-centre research study commissioned by the Department in 1997 showed that guardianship is generally not widely used. There is, however, marked variation in use with some authorities being more proactive. The reasons for variation in use of the order and further exploration of the outcome and satisfaction with the use of guardianship is being explored in the second phase of the study. We expect to receive a report on the second phase work in the next month.

Maternity Services

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if the transfer of maternity services from Hemel Hempstead hospital to Watford will be temporary;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the transfer of the special care baby unit, maternity, gynaecological and children services from Hemel Hempstead hospital to Watford.

Jacqui Smith: The decision to transfer the special care baby unit, maternity and in-patient gynaecology services from Hemel Hempstead to Watford hospital was made following difficulties in recruiting specialist paediatric nurses to the special care baby unit. The decision to transfer these services was made in the best interests of patient care and safety.
	This transfer is a temporary arrangement which will be kept under constant review as further attempts are made to recruit the necessary staff.
	In the meantime, two reviews are being undertaken across Hertfordshire which may have an impact on acute children's services, namely the Hertfordshire children's services review and the Hertfordshire and south Bedfordshire acute services review.
	Any proposed permanent changes to acute children's services which may result from these reviews will need to be the subject of formal public consultation.
	Any contested change of service will be considered by the new and independent reconfiguration panel.

Hearing Aids

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the full cost is of providing a hearing aid.

Jacqui Smith: The Department is collecting information on the cost of providing hearing aids as part of the annual Reference Costs Collection, which provides unit cost information for a wide range of national health service treatments and procedures. The information is expected to be published in November and will be available on the Department's internet site at www.doh.gov.uk/nhsexec/ refcosts.htm.

Child Protection

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many child deaths have been notified under Part 8 reviews under the "Working Together" Guidance under the Children Act 1989 in which domestic violence was involved, in the past six years.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not collected centrally. However, research has highlighted that children are likely to be at risk of physical, sexual and/or emotional abuse if they live in households where there is domestic violence. We also know that exposure to domestic violence can have a serious impact on a child's development and well-being. We are committed to raising awareness of domestic violence and its impact on children. We have done this through commissioning resources such as the Making an Impact—Children and Domestic Violence Training Pack, which helps front-line staff to deal effectively with families where domestic violence is occurring. We have also been careful to recognise the links between child protection and domestic violence in the revised Working Together to Safeguard Children child protection guidance and in the Framework for the Assessment of Children in need and their Families.

Beta Interferon

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his written answer of 15 October 2001, Official Report, columns 1027–28W, on beta interferon, what estimate he has made of the annual additional cost of prescribing beta interferon to 12 per cent. of British sufferers from multiple sclerosis.

Hazel Blears: We have made no such estimate.

Waiting Times

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in England have been waiting more than (a) six, (b) 12, (c) 18 and (d) 24 months for an (i) out-patient and (ii) in-patient appointment for each reporting period since 1995; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: holding answer 25 October 2001
	The information requested is given in the tables.
	A proportion of patients who have waited over 18 and 24 months are awaiting tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy procedures. This is because the National Health Service has been advised only to carry out these procedures (when routine) using single-use supply instruments, due to the theoretical risk of contracting vCJD. There are now sufficient supplies of these instruments; therefore, patients awaiting these procedures should not be waiting as long in the coming months.
	Two NHS trusts were responsible for the number of patients waiting over 24 months during the quarters ending March and June 2001. Appropriate corrective action is in place to ensure these patients are treated.
	We are determined to reduce waiting times through implementing shorter maximum waiting times. By the end of March 2002, the maximum in-patient waiting time will be 15 months and the maximum waiting time for a first out-patient appointment will be six months.
	
		In-patient waiting times data for England, March 1995 to present
		
			   Of those on the list, number who have waited:  
			 Quarter Size of in-patient More than 6 months More than 12 months More than 18 months More than 24 months 
		
		
			 March 1995 1,044,051 241,218 32,194 280 121 
			 June 1995 1,052,958 244,360 32,759 118 0 
			 September 1995 1,040,152 243,987 27,938 43 0 
			 December 1995 1,054,948 229,659 20,488 2 0 
			 March 1996 1,048,029 208,484 4,576 14 0 
			 June 1996 1,056,122 223,412 10,399 9 1 
			 September 1996 1,061,557 239,690 14,993 25 1 
			 December 1996 1,104,983 255,482 22,161 123 1 
			 March 1997 1,158,004 289,574 31,208 150 1 
			 June 1997 1,189,962 318,024 46,684 385 13 
			 September 1997 1,207,515 337,739 57,666 794 7 
			 December 1997 1,261,915 367,558 68,332 972 58 
			 March 1998 1,297,662 382,432 68,023 4 0 
			 June 1998 1,287,543 381,937 72,746 0 0 
			 September 1998 1,213,839 347,757 63,480 0 0 
			 December 1998 1,173,598 315,724 56,094 0 0 
			 March 1999 1,072,860 279,627 47,304 0 0 
			 June 1999 1,094,251 279,118 49,442 1 0 
			 September 1999 1,084,157 280,775 50,801 99 3 
			 December 1999 1,108,006 285,440 52,147 105 48 
			 March 2000 1,037,066 268,275 49,046 7 1 
			 June 2000 1,047,890 273,023 51,381 1 0 
			 September 2000 1,031,824 275,204 51,115 2 0 
			 December 2000 1,034,381 267,127 49,215 10 0 
			 March 2001 1,006,727 245,991 42,158 217 54 
			 March 2001(33) — — — 84 0 
			 June 2001 1,037,875 267,160 46,689 356 10 
			 June 2001(33) — — — 205 0 
		
	
	(33) Number of T&As
	Source:
	KH07 quarterly waiting times return. Department of Health
	
		Out-patient waiting times data for England, March 1995 to present
		
			  Of those still waiting at quarter end for a first out-patient appointment following GP referral, number who have waited:  
			 Quarter More than 6 months More than 12 months More than 18 months More than 24 months 
		
		
			 March 1995 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 June 1995 87,398 n/a n/a n/a 
			 September 1995 72,667 n/a n/a n/a 
			 December 1995 60,894 n/a n/a n/a 
			 March 1996 58,503 n/a n/a n/a 
			 June 1996 52,382 n/a n/a n/a 
			 September 1996 61,936 n/a n/a n/a 
			 December 1996 68,495 n/a n/a n/a 
			 March 1997 70,689 n/a n/a n/a 
			 June 1997 84,983 n/a n/a n/a 
			 September 1997 90,112 n/a n/a n/a 
			 December 1997 106,961 n/a n/a n/a 
			 March 1998 112,250 n/a n/a n/a 
			 June 1998 108,684 n/a n/a n/a 
			 September 1998 126,312 n/a n/a n/a 
			 December 1998 144,404 n/a n/a n/a 
			 March 1999 152,787 n/a n/a n/a 
			 June 1999 145,896 n/a n/a n/a 
			 September 1999 149,247 n/a n/a n/a 
			 December 1999 159,211 n/a n/a n/a 
			 March 2000 132,223 n/a n/a n/a 
			 June 2000 130,335 n/a n/a n/a 
			 September 2000 125,840 n/a n/a n/a 
			 December 2000 113,618 n/a n/a n/a 
			 March 2001 81,847 n/a n/a n/a 
			 June 2001 85,099 n/a n/a n/a 
		
	
	Source:
	QM08 quarterly waiting times return. Department of Health

Ambulance Services

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) ambulances, (b) paramedics and (c) ambulance medical technicians there were in Sussex in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: Figures for the number of ambulances and ambulance medical technicians are not collected centrally.
	The number of ambulance staff in Sussex for each year at 30 September are in the table.
	
		
			 Year Paramedics Other ambulance personnel 
		
		
			 2000 230 350 
			 1999 240 310 
			 1998 210 370 
			 1997 230 390 
			 1996 220 280 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health Non-medical work force census

Ambulance Services

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  for what reason ambulance services in Hampshire are to be reorganised;
	(2)  how many organisations in the Hampshire health economy favoured proposals to reorganise the ambulance services in the south-east;
	(3)  how many representations during the consultation on reorganising ambulance services in the south-east were in favour of the proposals;
	(4)  if he will make a statement on the consultation on reorganising ambulance services in the south-east.

Hazel Blears: Over 100 bodies and individuals responded to the consultation proposals. The South East Regional Office of the Department will make a detailed summary to Ministers shortly.

Anthrax

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has concerning the possible continuing incidence of anthrax at the former Thanet Isolation (Haine) hospital; and if he will make a statement on possible long-term contamination of the burial grounds.

Hazel Blears: I have been advised by the Director of Public Health at East Kent health authority that there is no risk of anthrax from this site to the general public or anyone working at the Haine hospital site.
	In the event of graves being excavated, workers should be advised to take normal precautions to prevent infection from pathogens in soil; namely the use of protective gloves and washable or disposable overalls.

NHS Boards (Disabilities)

David Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the chairs and non-executive directors of NHS boards have a disability.

Hazel Blears: The proportion of those appointed to National Health Service boards who identify themselves as being disabled is shown in the tables.
	
		Disabled candidates appointed to National Health Service Boards at 29 October 2001
		
			  Total Number disabled Per cent. disabled 
		
		
			 Chairs
			 Health authorities 90 2 2.2 
			 NHS trusts 304 2 0.7 
			 Primary care trusts 166 8 4.8 
			 Special health authorities 16 0 0 
			  
			 Total 576 12 2.08 
			 
			 Non-executives (NEDs)
			 Health authorities 480 18 3.8 
			 NHS trusts 1,547 45 2.9 
			 Primary care trusts 773 49 6.3 
			 Special health authorities 274 11 4.0 
			  
			 Total 3,074 123 4.0 
			 
			 Total chairs and NEDs 3.641 135 3.7

NHS Appointments Commission

Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the names of the chair and members of the new Independent NHS Appointments Commission and indicate how they were (a) selected and (b) appointed.

Hazel Blears: The membership of the National Health Service Appointments Commission is as follows:
	Chair:
	Sir William Wells
	Regional Commissioners:
	Eastern—Mrs. Rosie Varley
	London—Sir Ian Mills
	North West—Mr. Michael Taylor
	Northern and Yorkshire—Dr. John Marshall
	South East—Mr. Bernard Williams
	South West—Mrs. Gillian Camm
	Trent—Mrs. Brenda Sills
	West Midlands—Mrs. Jane Isaacs.
	The posts were advertised nationally and the appointments procedures followed were in line with the Code of Practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, involving interview panels including an independent assessor. A copy of the information pack sent to all candidates is in the Library. This includes the job descriptions and the qualities required of the chair and commissioners.

Endometriosis

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many cases of endometriosis have been treated within the Dorset health authority in the last 12 months;
	(2)  how many cases of endometriosis the NHS has referred abroad for treatment;
	(3)  how many endometriosis cases there are within the Dorset health authority.

Hazel Blears: The following figures are taken from the hospital episode statistics database, which contains details of patients admitted to and treated in national health service hospitals in England.
	The number of finished consultant episodes for endometriosis treatment in hospitals in the Dorset health authority area for the 1999–2000 data year are as follows:
	Primary diagnosis: Endometriosis—286
	(ICD10 code N80).
	The number of finished consultant episodes for endometriosis treatment for residents of the Dorset health authority area for the 1999–2000 data year are as follows:
	Primary diagnosis: Endometriosis—303
	(ICD10 code N80).
	A finished consultant episode is a period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. These figures do not represent the number of patients as a person may have more than one episode within the year.
	Information on cases of endometriosis referred abroad for treatment is not collected centrally.

Private Sector Concordat

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been (a) the total cost to the NHS of treatment under the concordat with the private sector, (b) the average cost of treatment per patient and (c) the average cost of similar treatment as in (b) above in the NHS.

Alan Milburn: Contracts agreed under the concordat are signed at the local level and the Department does not have complete information on expenditure. £20 million was made available to the national health service to purchase treatment in the private sector last winter, which funded just over 10,500 cases, for example an average cost per case of approximately £1,900. However, in the absence of information on the mix of cases this figure is not particularly meaningful.
	The Department has recently surveyed NHS health authorities and trusts on their use of the private sector. Analysis is not yet complete.

Private Sector Concordat

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact on delayed discharges in acute hospitals of treatment under the concordat with the private sector.

Alan Milburn: Treatments provided under concordat arrangements will generally take patients off existing national health service waiting lists for elective surgery. I am not aware of any adverse impact on delayed discharges in acute hospitals as a result of patients receiving treatment under the concordat.

Private Sector Concordat

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been treated under the concordat with the private sector since its implementation.

Alan Milburn: Between 1 November 2000 and 30 September 2001 there were 64,136 national health service funded elective cases in the private sector.

Bed Blocking

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the extent of bed blocking in each health authority and trust at the most recent available date; what was the basis on which the social services authorities with the most serious bed blocking problem, requiring extra priority allocations were identified; and for what reason the Newcastle city and North Tyneside borough social services authorities were not on the priority list.

Jacqui Smith: The latest figures on delayed discharges for each health authority and National Health Service trust are shown in the table. The decision on which councils should receive extra help was taken on the basis of the councils with the highest rate of delayed discharge and also councils, which the Department has identified as needing extra help through our performance monitoring arrangements. Newcastle city and North Tyneside borough social services did not meet these criteria.
	
		Delayed discharges of patients all ages -- Collection: Quarter 1 2001–02
		
			 Area Total delayed Delayed discharge rate (percentage) 
		
		
			 National summary:   
			 England 6,361 6.3 
			
			 Regional summary:   
			 Northern and Yorkshire 687 4.6 
			 Trent 325 2.8 
			 West Midlands 1,080 8.4 
			 North West 607 4.4 
			 Eastern 421 7.2 
			 London 792 6.0 
			 South East 1,550 9.5 
			 South West 899 7.8 
			
			 Health authority summary:   
			 Bradford 20 1.7 
			 Durham 69 7.5 
			 East Riding 20 1.6 
			 Gateshead and South Tyneside 56 6.4 
			 Leeds 90 3.9 
			 Newcastle and North Tyneside 69 3.9 
			 North Cumbria 101 13.8 
			 Northumberland 8 2.4 
			 Sunderland 25 3.7 
			 Tees 76 5.5 
			 Wakefield 33 4.5 
			 North Yorkshire 92 5.6 
			 Calderdale and Kirklees 28 2.4 
			 Barnsley 7 1.5 
			 North Derbyshire 16 1.9 
			 South Derbyshire 10 0.9 
			 Doncaster 18 3.0 
			 Leicestershire 47 2.4 
			 Lincolnshire 31 2.2 
			 North Nottinghamshire 29 3.4 
			 Nottingham 53 2.9 
			 Rotherham 16 2.9 
			 Sheffield 53 3.8 
			 South Humber 45 6.3 
			 Birmingham 474 14.7 
			 Coventry 62 5.4 
			 Dudley 56 8.5 
			 Herefordshire 18 5.8 
			 Sandwell 42 4.4 
			 Shropshire 27 3.2 
			 Solihull 26 7.0 
			 North Staffordshire 99 7.7 
			 South Staffordshire 102 12.4 
			 Walsall 31 5.9 
			 Warwickshire 56 5.4 
			 Wolverhampton 27 4.1 
			 Worcestershire 60 5.8 
			 South Lancashire 11 4.2 
			 Liverpool 84 5.3 
			 Manchester 31 2.3 
			 Morecambe Bay 66 8.3 
			 St Helens and Knowsley 68 6.8 
			 Salford and Trafford 43 3.2 
			 Sefton 38 5.3 
			 Stockport 12 1.8 
			 West Pennine 30 3.0 
			 Bury and Rochdale 16 2.9 
			 North Cheshire 33 4.6 
			 South Cheshire 42 4.6 
			 East Lancashire 2 0.2 
			 North West Lancashire 111 10.6 
			 Wigan and Bolton — — 
			 Wirral 20 2.0 
			 Bedfordshire 37 3.9 
			 North Essex — — 
			 South Essex — — 
			 Suffolk 195 13.6 
			 Cambridgeshire 100 5.4 
			 Norfolk 89 5.5 
			 Hertfordshire — — 
			 Hillingdon 60 16.1 
			 Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster — — 
			 Redbridge and Waltham Forest 107 10.0 
			 Croydon 37 5.0 
			 Kingston and Richmond 59 5.4 
			 Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham 39 2.1 
			 Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth 49 3.7 
			 Barking and Havering 68 9.2 
			 Brent and Harrow 41 18.2 
			 Camden and Islington 62 6.8 
			 Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow 108 7.7 
			 East London and City 53 2.6 
			 Barnet, Enfield and Haringey 109 7.4 
			 Bromley, Bexley and Greenwich — — 
			 Berkshire 183 13.3 
			 Buckinghamshire 170 17.4 
			 East Kent 60 4.8 
			 West Kent 63 4.3 
			 East Surrey 59 6.5 
			 West Surrey 183 12.8 
			 East Sussex, Brighton and Hove — — 
			 West Sussex 219 7.8 
			 Northamptonshire 136 12.3 
			 Oxfordshire 66 5.4 
			 North and Mid Hampshire 160 18.6 
			 Southampton and South West Hampshire 172 14.3 
			 Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and South East Hampshire 79 4.8 
			 Somerset 46 6.5 
			 South and West Devon 64 5.6 
			 Wiltshire 125 9.7 
			 Avon 233 9.5 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 87 6.1 
			 Dorset 92 5.5 
			 North and East Devon 139 9.3 
			 Gloucestershire 113 9.0

Blood Donors

Dai Havard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has received from the National Blood Service of the effect on the number of blood donors of testing for vCJD; and what plans he has to ensure the supply of blood to non-emergency patients who require transfusions as part of their treatments.

John Hutton: The Department is currently working with the National Blood Service on contingency plans related to the screening of blood donors for vCJD and the impact this could have on the blood supply.
	In parallel with the four United Kingdom Health Departments alongside the National Audit Office and the National Blood Transfusion Services, the UK Chief Medical Officers sponsored a conference on better blood transfusion on 29 October. The aim of the conference is to help set the priorities for blood transfusion in the national health service for the coming three to five years including the more efficient and effective use of blood so that we ensure the supply of blood to all patients who require transfusions as part of their treatment.